Stereotypes of Elderly Persons in Narrative Jokes

Abstract

The chief objective of this study was to describe and review stereotypes of elderly persons found in adult narrative jokes, based on a conceptual framework drawing from psychoanalytic and cognitive theories of humor. Approximately 4,200 jokes were examined, of which 102 were judged to employ a single predominant stereotype of the elderly. A content analysis by the researcher established eight stereotypes: the impotent male, the unattractive female, the vain/virile male, the disinterested female, the innocence of second childhood, the insatiable female, the forgetful old person, and the infirm old person. The jokes were sorted using these categories by two independent judges. High levels of concordance were found for all stereotypes excepting the innocence of second childhood. Some implications for gerontological education of ageist stereotyping in narrative jokes are reviewed.