Eine »Jeckenstudie« zeigt: Im Kölner Karneval aktiv sein, macht nicht nur Spaß, sondern kann auch die Gesundheit fördern.
Taking part in carnival in Cologne is not only fun; it can also be good for your health. This was recently demonstrated by the »Jeckenstudie«, a study among members of carnival societies conducted by three researchers in the Department of Sociology and Social Psychology. The survey sends a clear message: for carnival enthusiasts, membership in a society is about more than just celebrating together.
By Mathias Martin
It begins with a large white sheet of paper that Dr Paula Steinhoff places on the table in front of Anna*. The sociologist asks the elderly woman to stick a post-it note labelled »me« in the middle of the sheet. Anna is the treasurer of a small carnival society in the vicinity of Cologne. With the sociologist’s support, she is asked to depict her relationships with the other members of the association on the sheet using other post-it notes, differentiating between how close the relationships are and whether she finds them pleasant or stressful. Anna then depicts how she perceives the relationships among the other society members.
Church service for Cologne carnival revellers in Cologne Cathedral. The families of members of the carnival associations are often involved as well.
»Creating these so-called network maps is a good way of breaking the ice with the members of the society and finding out about their social relationships,« explains Dr Steinhoff, who completed her doctorate under study director and Heisenberg Professor Dr Lea Ellwardt at the Department of Sociology and Social Psychology (DSS). »Visualizing helps participants to remember all relevant relationships, without leaving anyone out.«
The researchers, who include Professor Lea Ellwardt, Dr Paula Steinhoff and Dr Amelie Reiner, are interested in social relationships in the second half of life, particularly those formed through leisure activities. For their »Jeckenstudie«, which is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), they surveyed volunteer members of carnival societies about their social relationships within the organization. In 2022 and 2023, the researchers conducted qualitative, semi-structured interviews with 28 society members between the ages of 45 and 80 and collected information from 114 members (ranging in age from 23 to 86) in three societies about their social relationships, using a standardized online questionnaire, which was sent to all members.
Open to everyone
The research project focuses on the extent to which the voluntary activities of the »Jecken« society members have a positive effect on their health and social well-being, and how these activities might support healthy aging. »So far, research on social networks has focused on families and social relationships in the workplace, rather than groups in the leisure sector, such as clubs or societies«, says Ellwardt. »Unlike at work, club members socialize with each other in their free time, without any formal structure.« In a carnival society, the »Jecken« volunteer for assignments and decide for themselves who they want to be in contact with.
The study is planned to be fully analysed and completed by mid 2026. Ellwardt explains why the researchers chose carnival societies: »We found it important to study a club that was active in the leisure sector and open to everyone. We were looking for society with no restrictions on membership, for example due to a lack of fitness or limited knowledge of music, or for political or religious reasons.« What was also important: The society had to quickly became active again after the coronavirus pandemic restrictions were lifted, which were still in place at the start of the study. Carnival societies fulfilled all of these requirements.
Inspired to join in the fun
In order to ensure that all Jecken could interact with each other, as specified in the study concept, the sociologists only surveyed small carnival societies with around fifty members each in Cologne and the surrounding area. This helped the researchers to gain as complete an impression as possible about the social networks within the societies and to identify how the individual members influence each other’s actions and attitudes.
Analysis of the qualitative, semi-structured interviews showed: members who spend a lot of time volunteering at the carnival society – for example because they have assumed an office or help organize larger events – usually coordinate their volunteer work closely with their family. Other family members are often temporarily involved in the work of the organization, for example by preparing food for events or looking after the children. For many members, therefore, the »Carnival Society« network is closely linked to their family network. Children and youth are sometimes inspired by their parents’ enthusiasm for the society and end up becoming Jecken themselves.
A feeling of belonging and being needed
So what motivates people to actively become involved in a carnival society in the first place? Surprisingly, it’s often not carnival itself. »In our qualitative interviews, many of the respondents said they aren’t that interested in carnival, but in being part of a community«, says Ellwardt. »Some have said that they plan to join a second or third carnival society when they retire.« The members are motivated by the fact that they share a common interest – carnival – with the other members. It’s also validation that others recognize their hobby.
Paula Steinhoff, Lea Ellwardt, and Amelie Reiner wanted to find out whether involvement in carnival societies has a positive effect on health.
The society provides valuable opportunities for older members in particular to participate and to feel valued. »It is important especially for older people to be able to do things locally with others, as their mobility is often limited,« the sociologist explains. The feeling of belonging plays an important role here. »I can make a difference in the organization, I’m needed and I can handle the things that need to be done,« one participant said in the interview with the researchers. »That makes me feel like I’m doing something meaningful, which is something I used to miss in my job.«
Jecken support each other
The researchers used standardized online questionnaires to find out whether society members also discuss sensitive topics such as health. »The online survey showed that many members even seek medical advice from people in the society with whom they are not close friends. Only around one third of those approached are close friends,« says Dr Amelie Reiner, who led the quantitative survey for the study. »Women were more likely than men to be perceived as competent advisers on health issues.«
However, this does not mean that medical advice is always specifically sought at the society. Discussions about health issues are often casual or situational. The study showed that casual acquaintances with other Jecken are important for exchanging information about illnesses and their treatment, which can promote health.
In essence, the Jecken study confirms that what research has found in more formally organized areas of life also applies to openly structured carnival societies. Social contacts are generally a valuable addition to most people’s lives, and they alleviate stress. People who have many social contacts are less likely to suffer from anxiety disorders, depression, or cardiovascular problems than people who are less socially integrated. Well-integrated people, such as the Jecken in carnival societies, are cheered up and supported by their social network in stressful situations. All in all, being nuts about carnival is good for body, mind, and soul.
*Anna - The name Anna was chosen fictitiously. All participants in the study were guaranteed anonymity. For this reason, no individuals or carnival clubs can be named in the article. The photos used in the article are selected symbolically and are not specifically related to the studied societies and their members.
