Article 3(Klinger) Children's Perceptions of Aggressive and Gender-Specific Content in toy commercials. All commercials target a certain audience for either boys or girls. In a study from the article, it said that Both girl and boys rated male toys as the more desirable and most aggressive of toys than female ones. This can be concerning since toys for kids are going to appeal to a child differently. A girl could like boy toys more, where a boy could like girl toys.
As for the toys that were directed toward young girls were mostly toys that didn't involve much movement it was more on the creative side. Toys like barbies, easy bake ovens, make up and jewelry toys, or baby dolls that needed to be taken care of. All of these that wouldn’t involve much movement for the young girl. These types of messages that many people may not notice at first glace is another way of our society creating gender. It is creating gender in the way that we are teaching young boys
All things nice are what apparently seem to be represented by girls. It is this labeling of characteristics to each gender that make it become the social norm. The media (various means of mass communication) affects and influences gender as a social construction of reality. For one point, children are always engaging with shows portraying gender stereotype roles from toys promoted as for boys or girls, to TV shows. It is very common for the children's TV shows to lay emphasis on the role of the male character as a hero who saves the weak female character.
Little girls learn that they are supposed to like dolls and pink, while little boys learn that they are supposed to like trucks and the color blue. Through various forms of guidance and direction from external influences, children experience gender role socialization they quickly learn what behaviors are encouraged by their parents and peers, and which ones are not. These ideas are further reinforced by the media's portrayal of traditional gender roles. As a result, children internalize these beliefs pertaining to gender roles and their behavior is modified accordingly. The child's first influence in regards to gender roles is the family.
Gender, a social construct, is predominant from the moment a child is born, whether it is from parental influence, the media, clothing, or even children’s toys. These influences can affect the way a child learns how to “do gender”. The various toys, such as Barbie dolls and G.I. Joe action figures, My Little Pony, Strawberry Shortcake, Bratz Dolls, Power Rangers and most action figures that companies market to children of different genders reinforce stereotypical gender norms and perpetuate conventional gender roles. Parents should be conscientious when choosing their children’s toys because some toys can shape the overall learned gender norms of those children.
| Construction area. | Construction area reinforces stereotypes by always advertising little boys with DIY tools and that some boys won’t let girls play with these tools. | To challenge discrimination on this would be to make tools a variety of colours for girls to play and so children female builders. | Home Corner. | Home corner reinforces stereotypes
Disney is the worlds second largest media firm, and is one of the first factors that affect a child’s gender role portrayal (Martz, Bazzini, Curtin, Joslin, Regan 2010: 353). Even though children may be unaware that these views are being formed, the prince and princess characters in many Disney movies portray traditional masculine and feminine characteristics. These later on build the stereotypical gender images that are related to these traditional characteristics (Ross 2004: 55). Children start to associate certain attributes to men and women and this is how their portrayal is shaped. In many of the fairy-tale Disney movies, male and female characters are overrepresented and having such portrayals of gender roles may weaken children’s beliefs, expectations and aspirations because they cannot aspire to do something other than what is presented in the Disney films (England et al.
In addition there are props such as toys that children can play with and manipulate. There are two types of toys: traditional toys, these actively engage a child’s entire being (e.g., blocks); and electronic toys, these are pre-programmed toys that have a specific way of operating (e.g., Simon Says). Regardless of having to do the same thing repeatedly, children seem to love electronic toys. It is because of the electronic toys that talk, sing, dance, teach, create their own world, and leaves the child with so little imagination that you see less children playing outside these days. Yet, children need toys.
English 101 Essay on Gender Shema Theory Breaking through the Barriers Why is schema theory the most important gendered issue facing young adults today? Does the definition of the word gender question whether one is male or female, or does it derive from something much deeper than that? Think back to childhood and try to recall some of the most popular toys. Most likely, females where given a baby doll, and males, an action figure or plastic hammer. From early childhood all the way to late adulthood, Americans are taught the differences between a woman and a man by these small gestures.
Girls wear pink and play with Barbie’s while boys wear blue and play with toy trucks. Although it may not seem as obvious, certain items continue to be marketed to specific genders or races throughout all ages. Gender is socially constructed. This means that our concept of men and women and what they are supposed to be is built by our society. Doing gender means that we carry out the expected roles of men or women through our everyday interactions.