Abstract

This study examined social behaviour and social relations among older adults who exhibited high levels of Off-Target Verbosity (OTV), a conversational style that is characterized by an abundance of unfocussed speech. It was hypothesized that such individuals would tend to exhibit socially maladaptive behaviour and that the pattern of excessive and unfocussed speech would have a negative effect on their maintenance and development of social relationships. Findings showed that during "get acquainted" conversations with previously unfamiliar age-matched peers, high OTV individuals showed a greater tendency to dominate conversational talk time and tended to ask fewer questions of their conversational partners, relative to "normal" talkers. After "getting acquainted" with their conversational partners, subjects were asked to rate their level of satisfaction with the conversation. Those with higher levels of OTV and those who talked for a greater share of the conversation were rated as less satisfying to talk with. The hypothesis that higher levels of OTV would be associated with diminished responsiveness to nonverbal cues signaling boredom was not supported, although higher levels of OTV were associated with increased responsiveness to nonverbal cues signaling interest. Orv was not associated with the social skills questionnaires of Emotional Control, Emotional Sensitivity, Reciprocity or Conflict in social relationships. Counter to prediction, OTV was not associated with greater reductions in and fewer new additions to social networks of family and friends.