Tepper, an assistant professor of marketing at University of Kentucky, uses data from two studies involving 38 participants, aged 50 and above, which examine the responses of matured people being labelled as “seniors” and investigate if age segmentation cues would affect the usage of “senior” discounts. Findings show that those aged 50-54, who identify themselves as younger, are unlikely to use “senior” discounts and that self-devaluation is directly related to social visibility. Older participants, aged 60 and above, use “senior” discounts as it is not threatening to their self-image or perceived social acceptance and they are not concerned with social. The moderate age range, 55-64, have a slightly higher chance of using “senior” discounts as they have greater exposure to the label. The author proposes the need to redefine the senior citizen status with positive connotations and reduce social visibility of such transactions. This article is that it was published in 1994 and some of these feelings and opinions might have changed over time, but many of these findings are still evident in Singapore. This article provides the basis to my understanding of the matured generation not wanting to be branded as “old” and “elderly”.
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