Processamento de inferências : estudo comparativo entre adultos jovens, de idade intermediária, idosos e longevos

Abstract

This research is related to age influence on inferential processing (metaphors and proverb). It aims to compare the performance in an inference processing task between high-educated adults from four different age groups (young, middle­aged, elderly and oldest-old adults) as well as to verify if there is an association between age (years) and inferential performance (score). A group of 301 adults formed the sample. Their age ranges from 19 to 89 years old. All o f them were high­schooled. They were evaluated with an inference processing task from the Brief Neuropsychological Assessment Test Neupsilin. Data were analysed through an One­way ANOVA test. There was statistical significant difference between age groups in the inference total score and in the proverb interpretation score. The main difference occured between young and elderly adults and between young and oldest-old adults. Another finding suggested a negative significant correlation between age and inferential processing.