More handpicked essays just for you.
The impact of gender stereotypes on individuals
The impact of gender stereotypes on individuals
Children and gender stereotypes
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
Gender stereotype are fixed ideas about men’s and women’s traits and capabilities and how people should behave, based on their gender. It starts at a young age. Our society starts establishing gender roles when children born. Parents chose for their children blue color clothing and other staff for boys and pink for girls. Even in the children’s stores, just by watching stuff the way they are organized you can see the difference. The toys are different as well. In general, toys associated with boys are related to fight, aggressiveness, competitiveness, and toys associated with girls related to physical attractiveness, nurturing and domestic skill. So basically through toys children learn their role in our society. Even if you will try
to give a boy, let’s say 3 years old, a doll to play with he will refuse because he already knows that it is wrong for boys to play with girls’ toys. Other example is when a boy falls down and starts crying everybody will say him that boys don’t cry. So in their minds, starts developing the idea that boys should be strong and never cry. So to me basically our society starts to teach exactly what they want people to become. They don’t give people to choose what they want to become. Whoever chooses not to follow this rules are considered to be abnormal example of this kind of peoples are gays, lesbians and others.
In order to fully comprehend the how gender stereotypes perpetuate children’s toys, one must understand gender socialization. According to Santrock, the term gender refers to the, “characteristics of people as males and females” (p.163). An individual is certainly not brought into the world with pre-existing knowledge of the world. However, what is certain is the belief that the individual has regarding him- or herself and life stems from socialization—the development of gender through social mechanisms. For instance, when a baby is brought into this world, his or her first encounter to gender socialization arises when the nurse places a blue or pink cap on the baby’s head. This act symbolizes the gender of the baby, whether it is a boy (blue cap) or a girl (pink cap). At the age of four, the child becomes acquai...
That is, boys will customarily receive blue clothing or toys while pink clothing or toys will be for girls. “Children‘s toys and games are also differentiated on the basis of sex” (Diekman and Murnen 2004; Seccombe p.99). Through these toys or playing with these toys, boys and girls would eventually distinguish the differences between male and female; also, may strengthen, and perpetuate the traditional gender stereotypes. For instance, boys or men are expected to act and behave in ways that have been considered masculine or associated with masculinity (Seccombe p.104); “men are often assumed to be more aggressive, sexual, unemotional, rational, and task oriented than women” (Seccombe p.93); and thus, action figures, such as Superman, WWE wrestling toys, and Hulk are made for boys to play with. While girls or women’s roles are associated with femininity (Seccombe p.104); “women are assumed to be more nurturing, passive, and dependent” (Seccombe p.93); and so, cooking and baking set and baby dolls with bottle feeding and diapering set are made for girls, so, they could apply their nurturing and culinary skills when they get older and mainly do household chores. Personally, I believe these toys have both negative and positive influence on children’s socialization. For instance, playing with toy guns or military toy set with a knife may lead to early exposure to violence and aggression. However, some toys, such as Lego building set and blocks, arts and crafts have a powerful and influential influence on children’s thinking and
Gender Stereotypes Among Children's Toys When you walk into the toy section of any store, you do not need a sign to indicate which section is on the girls’ side and which section is on the boys’ side. Aside from all the pink, purple, and other pastel colors that fill the shelves on the girls’ side, the glitter sticks out a lot as well. The boys’ toys, however, are mostly dark colors – blue, black, red, gray, or dark green. The colors typically used on either side are very stereotypical in themselves.
The socialization of children is greatly affected by the toys they are exposed to while growing up. Looking through magazines and walking down the aisles of toy stores it is clear that toy companies are supportive of cultural gender roles biases. Toys designed for girls are commonly found in pink boxes; typically these toys involve housework or taking care of children, for example, dolls and easy bake ovens. On the other hand, “boy” toys are found in blue and black boxes, and a lot of them involve construction and cars.
First off, I will describe the role the toys are playing when it comes to the socialization process for boys and girls. The masculine wrestling action figures and construction vehicles are showing boy 's their gender roles. In the book, “You May Ask Yourself”, defines social roles as “the concept of gender roles, set of behavioral norms assumed to accompany one’s status as male or female” (Conley, pg 130). In the store it is fairly easy for parents to find which part of the store will fit their kids gender roles. For parents with young boys, all they have to do is look for the blue in the store. When looking for the girl toys, parents just need to find the pink. Parents are actively doing gender in their child
Francis’s study analyzes three to five-year-old preschool students as well as their parents about their views about toys and viewing materials based on gender. The study showed that parental beliefs shaped their child 's opinions of gender roles based on the toys they played with. The parent 's idea of what is female and what is male is transferred onto the toys their child plays with which in terms developed their child 's stereotype of what is male and female based on their toy selection and color. In the article “How do today 's children play and with which toys?”, by Klemenovic reference that a child 's view on gender stereotypes is developed by their parents who train them on how to use the toys. Klemenovic (2014) states "Adults start training in the first months of a child 's life because knowledge of objects is the outcome of other people 's behavior towards us" (Klemenovic, 2014, p. 184). Young children’s development of gender stereotypes is largely influenced by his or her parent’s actions and view on what they consider male or female. A parent’s color preference and toy selection can influence a child’s gender bias or association to a specific
stereotyping in infancy: Visual preferences for and knowledge of gender-stereotyped toys in the second year. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25(1), 7-15.
Gender Socialization plays a big part in a child’s life in shaping their femininty and masculinity. Every child is brought with to have played with at least one toy to have called their own. Now, the purpose of the research that has been conducted is to take a further look into how toys that is sold through stores and played by children. This will then give hindsight as to how what is considered the gender norm has a part in gender role stereotyping and the affect these toys have on children view of gender characteristics.
“What? A boy playing with Barbie dolls? That’s messed up man. Only girls play with dolls. Everyone knows that!” This is an answer from Cavin, seven years old, when asked what he thought about boys playing with Barbie dolls. Listening to these words can make one realize that even from a young age, children have been strongly impacted by gender through society. According to sociologist James M. Henslin, gender is “the behaviors and attitudes that a society considers proper for its males and females; masculinity or femininity” (280). Throughout time gender has been a way of thinking about what is appropriate of different sex, a term which Henslin defines as “biological characteristics that distinguish females and males, consisting of primary and secondary sex characteristics” (280). Since many years ago society has solidly built characteristics of gender and kept encouraging traditional gender roles to new generations. Toys, a common object which many children play with in the beginning of their lives, is actually an agent of gender socialization that many people take for granted. Through observations at a local toy store, such as Toys R Us, one can recognize how toys reinforce gender roles.
Girls are supposed to play with dolls, wear pink, and grow up to become princesses. Boys are suppose to play with cars, wear blue, and become firefighters and policemen. These are just some of the common gender stereotypes that children grow up to hear. Interactions with toys are one of the entryway to different aspects of cognitive development and socialism in early childhood. As children move through development they begin to develop different gender roles and gender stereotypes that are influenced by their peers and caregivers.
Where does women stereotypes began? One should first read children’s learning books, as stated by Annie Nakao, Chronicle Staff Writer of the San Francisco Chronicle. Nakao brings up a great point when he wrote, “When I was growing up in San Francisco, all of my senses were like a big sponge” (Nakao 2003). Meaning children learn not by only watching but by reading as well, drawing information in like a sponge. Many children picture books, portray women negatively, or perform “women tasks” such as cooking, cleaning, and shopping. One such book, I’m Glad I’m a Boy! I’m Glad I’m a Girl from the 1970’s let women know from a young age, that they were inferior from their male counterparts. With most, if not all pictures portray women negative. The
As a child, our toys were not exactly as gender neutral as earlier times, but also were not as gender stereotypic as the toys in today’s time. The fact that everyone eventually comes into contact with buying toys whether you have kids or you have a friend or family member who have kids which makes this an important topic. Eventually, everyone has to buy a child a present. Would it bother you that all toys are either pink or blue and there is no in between? Or does sticking to what your child is already familiar with and knows the more ideal option when it comes to gender stereotyping with children’s toys? Authors James Delingpole and Eleanor Muffitt both do a good job at arguing both sides to this issue. Although both authors provide valid points throughout each article, about gender stereotyping with toys, James Delingpole clearly was more effective in persuading the audience because he used all three elements; ethos, logos, and pathos to support his idea.
Gender bias exists in all parts of a person’s life, but is very noticeable with a walk down the toy aisle at a local store. From Barbie to Tonka trucks, there is a clear difference in the way toys are created and marketed towards different genders. Why must girl toys be pink and frilly while boys get to play with weapons and build towers out of small plastic blocks? Is there a reason behind the steering of the genders into specific roles or is it mere coincidence? This paper examines some of the research into and the reasoning behind the gender bias in children’s toys. Is it real, or something that exists only in our minds? Using articles published with reliable sources and interviews from children, the author hopes to explain some of the differences and make the public aware of the bias that is being perpetuated in our everyday lives.
Men and women throughout time, typically follow a set of rules or general attitudes that are accepted by society, this is known as gender roles. This mindset is not naturally instilled and must be taught from generation to generation. How children are raised can affect their mindset as they grow up over time. Children can be influenced by many factors, such as; parents, media, location, and social standing. Parenting, along with the environment can be viewed as key factors that affects youth development and instill mindsets, such as gender roles.
This longitudinal study was based on the hypothesis that the gender roles and attitudes of children can be predicted by the parent’s ideology and behaviours. The purpose of this research is to address gaps in current literature on gender development in the context of family, especially the role of fathers. Research was conducted over six-years using self-reporting methods from working-class, dual-earner households. This was done to determine the parent’s attitudes towards various gender-typical activities. During the final data collection, the Sex Roles Learning Inventory was completed by the child. Subsequently, it was concluded that children tend to think more traditionally in terms of gender roles if their parent’s views were more traditional.