Abstract
This paper extends the self-categorisation model of symptom perception to predict that people aged 50 years and over will report higher levels of hearing handicap when they categorise themselves as members of a group of older people. This prediction is supported with an opportunity sample (N = 50; mean age = 63 years) who completed a questionnaire designed to screen for hearing handicap in “the elderly” (sic). Participants also underwent pure-tone audiometry, which confirmed that the observed difference in hearing handicap was not attributable to any difference in hearing threshold level. Hence these findings offer further support for the self-categorisation model of symptom perception. Their theoretical, clinical and methodological implications together with possible therapeutic applications of self-categorisation theory to auditory rehabilitation of older people are discussed.
| Translated title of the contribution | How do I know if I need a hearing aid? Further support for the self-categorisation approach to symptom perception |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Pages (from-to) | 24 - 41 |
| Journal | Applied Psychology |
| Volume | 58 |
| Publication status | Published - 2009 |