Ageism in Birthday Cards: A Mixed-Method Content Analysis

Shayne S-H Lin; Allison Walden

doi:10.1093/geront/gnad115

Ageism in Birthday Cards: A Mixed-Method Content Analysis

Gerontologist. 2024 May 1;64(5):gnad115. doi: 10.1093/geront/gnad115.

Authors

Shayne S-H Lin^{1

2}, Allison Walden³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.
² Alabama Research Institute on Aging, Alabama Life Research Institute, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.
³ Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.

PMID: 37675965
DOI: 10.1093/geront/gnad115

Abstract

Background and objectives: Ageism is oftentimes sugarcoated within humor. Paper birthday cards are 1 delivery approach in which ageist messages are perpetuated and reinforced through humor.

Research design and methods: A convenience sample of birthday cards (k = 227), all indicating a decade of age, were acquired from 7 national retail stores in Colorado Springs, CO. The decades sampled ranged from 21 to 100. With a predeveloped codebook, 3 raters coded the decade birthday cards on various variables, including age group, ageist tone, and humor.

Results: Birthday cards intended for age 30-60 contained significantly more ageist messages compared to cards intended for age 21 and age 70-100, which did not show a significant difference from each other. Additionally, birthday cards with humor showed more ageist messages than cards without humor. Characteristics of decade birthday cards were also explored.

Discussion and implications: Consumers need to learn to evaluate these ageist messages in birthday cards to reduce the perpetuation of damaging stereotypes.

Keywords: Activism; Humor; Mixed-method research.

MeSH terms

Ageism*
Colorado
Humans
Research Design