Analyze 8-10 birthday cards at a nearby store.
Categorize cards by gender and loosely categorize them by age (such as adolescent, young, adult, middle aged adult, older adult). If you have no card store nearby, view birthday cards on the Web. Are there messages you find positive or negative? Jot down the differences you find with respect to age and sexual activity, attractiveness, intelligence or physical ability. Do the same for gender.
Compare these with 3-4 magazine, TV, or Web advertisements. Taken together, how do birthday cards and the media represent men and women as they age? How might this be a socialization influence in people's lives and influence stereotypes that develop about age and gender? Use Concepts in your readings to answer these questions.