Aging, context processing, and comprehension

Context processing in language comprehension is multifaceted and dynamic, influencing multiple stages of sensory, perceptual, and higher-order cognitive processing. A wealth of evidence supports the idea that context information is rapidly utilized to influence ongoing language processing. At the same time, our understanding of how normative aging influences context processing is a topic of considerable debate across multiple literatures. Here, we provide a detailed overview across three distinct literatures—psycholinguistics, audiology, and cognitive electrophysiology—that have examined overlapping questions surrounding how the aging process impacts the use of context information during language processing. Following, we provide an initial framework for integrating these oft-conflicting literatures and conclude with a call for interdisciplinary and multi-modal research to bridge the gap between these literatures and move toward a more complete and generalized understanding of the dynamics of context processing across the lifespan.