Abstract Recent studies documenting the real-time details of human interactions have revealed the way in which artefacts in the immediate physical surround facilitate the display and demonstration of knowledge. The museum setting in which physically present objects prompt and support visitor displays of knowledge is particularly well-suited for individuals managing symptoms related to memory loss as a result of dementia, especially of the Alzheimer’s type. In this paper, we explore question-answer sequences taken from three hour-long guided sessions within an art gallery program involving museum guides who were specially trained to work with visitors with dementia. We investigate representative sequences 1) in which visitors exercise interactional control by posing questions to guides that relate to the visitors’ own interests and 2) in which guides pose questions to visitors regarding topics that relate to the visitors’ personal lives. We argue that these two discursive practices promote interactional meaningfulness, in that the former pattern affords the visitors interactional agency, while the latter pattern allows them to display their epistemic authority. Finally, we consider how insights from this therapeutic model may be translated from the museum to the home setting.

中文翻译：

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博物馆指南与被诊断为痴呆症的游客之间的问答序列中的代理机构和认知权威

摘要最近有关人类互动实时细节的文献研究揭示了直接物理环境中的人工制品如何促进知识的显示和演示。博物馆中的实体物品可以提示并支持访客的知识展示，特别适合处理与痴呆症（尤其是阿尔茨海默氏症）相关的与记忆力减退相关的症状的个人。在本文中，我们探索了在美术馆项目中三个小时的指导课程中提出的问题答案序列，这些课程包括受过专门培训以与痴呆症游客合作的博物馆指南。我们研究了代表性的序列：1）访问者通过向与访问者自身兴趣相关的向导提出问题来行使互动控制，以及2）在指导中向访问者提出有关与访问者个人生活相关的主题的问题。我们认为，这两种话语实践促进了交互意义，因为前一种模式提供了访客交互代理的能力，而后一种模式则允许他们展示其认知权威。最后，我们考虑如何将这种治疗模式的见解从博物馆转化为家庭环境。因为前者模式提供了访客互动的代理权，而后者模式则允许他们展示自己的认知权威。最后，我们考虑如何将这种治疗模式的见解从博物馆转化为家庭环境。因为前者模式提供了访客互动的代理权，而后者模式则允许他们展示自己的认知权威。最后，我们考虑如何将这种治疗模式的见解从博物馆转化为家庭环境。