Older People Less Likely To Notice Social Gaffes

msnbc.com:

Older people have more trouble detecting social gaffes committed by others, the result of a decline in how they perceive emotions, according to a New Zealand study.

Read the whole story: msnbc.com

Comments

[NoSillyName]

09:26 PM on 02/05/2011

I don't believe this study any more than I believe the "first letter of your last name" one.

As we age and become more wise about life, we tend to let insignificant things slide. We become more tactful & are able to overlook many human foibles.

(Not speaking for those older grumpy people who probably had trouble in these areas their whole lives.)

[Konnie]

11:12 AM on 02/05/2011

nope, we're just better at detecting "intention". was it malicious? was it a brain fart...........
we've learned not to waste our precious time with our panties in a twist.

[kuvasz]

01:32 AM on 02/05/2011

Nah, we just don't give a f#$^ by that age.

[thebigbike]

11:47 PM on 02/04/2011

whatever, after about 42 we're all dead anyway. and goodness knows have little or nothing to contribute to the mediated digital future. so if we don't notice someone on The Office" being an assh%le according to the standards of "The Office" that is a sure sign we're irremediably gaga. whatever.

[NoSillyName]

10:22 PM on 02/05/2011

42? Ha! Still young. It's all relative.

[Hopalongpoppyseed]

06:41 PM on 02/06/2011

I deal with teenagers. They really love their grandmas and grandpas, even though the old folks are digitally challenged. On the other hand, young adults can get pretty snarky.

[SeanMartin]

09:54 PM on 02/04/2011

Less likely to notice social gaffes?

Actually, *more* likely but knowing it doesnt do a d@mn bit of good to say anything.

[midwesthousewife]

06:04 PM on 02/03/2011

Really? Or have they lived long enough to find most of what society considers important to be beneath their notice anymore? And they care less about others' judgment? I think it is a difference in perspective as one ages. Less sensitive about things they now judge less important.

[palantiri]

04:59 PM on 02/03/2011

The body fuzzes with age. Interference begins to dull sharpness. Repetition probably is part of the reason too. I figure it is a trinity of body interference, repetition and social expectation as detriments. For positives there are probably many ways to offset these aging factors. Nutrition, exercise, flowing exercise, meditation, nature involvement, breaking up routines, giving and getting tangible love, not believing a thing you ever heard about "old people"... etc. everyone should probably find what really works for them
if they are so inclined to do so.

[StarDagger]

04:43 PM on 02/03/2011

Maybe they have lived long enough to realize that the rules of society are ultimately irrelevant. Think about it, these people are looking down the barrel of the shotgun of mortality, knowing that in 20 years MAX they will be pushing up daisies. Burping or farting is not going to make that much of an impression!

-.

.-

[CrankyGal]

09:26 PM on 02/03/2011

My reaction exactly. It's not so much they don't notice as they don't care.

[pc51]

06:57 PM on 02/05/2011

And they are more forgiving of human imperfection then our self -obsessed facebook culture. Heaven forbid one of these wired up self-involved kids detects a fart!