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Attitudes toward drinking conveyed in studio greeting cards
American Journal of Public Health
|August 1, 1980
Summary
Greeting cards often portray getting drunk as fun and harmless, potentially encouraging alcohol abuse despite prevention campaigns. This normalization may hinder efforts to address problematic drinking behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Social Sciences
- Media Studies
- Public Health
Background:
- Alcohol consumption is prevalent in social settings.
- Media representations can influence public attitudes and behaviors.
- Public health campaigns aim to mitigate alcohol-related harm.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the portrayal of alcohol and intoxication in studio greeting cards.
- To identify themes related to drunkenness and celebrations.
- To assess the potential impact of these depictions on alcohol abuse attitudes.
Main Methods:
- Content analysis of 129 studio greeting cards.
- Identification and thematic analysis of alcohol-related subject matter.
- Qualitative assessment of depicted attitudes towards intoxication.
Main Results:
- Cards frequently depict drunkenness as a natural, desirable, and humorous aspect of celebrations.
- Intoxication is often portrayed as enjoyable and without negative consequences.
- These positive depictions may normalize and reinforce tolerant attitudes toward alcohol abuse.
Conclusions:
- The portrayal of alcohol in greeting cards may counteract public health messages.
- Risk-free depictions of intoxication could contribute to the persistence of alcohol abuse.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term impact of media on alcohol norms.