Socialization For Children: The Influence Of Socialization In Disney Movies

Socialization begins at a very young age; socialization is defined as “the social processes through which we develop an awareness of social norms and values and achieve a distinct sense of self (Giddens).” The media plays a huge role in shaping a child identity on how he or she should behave in the society (Giddens 72). Children are the most to be effected by the content they view on the mass media such as television shows, advertisements, movies, music and everything else shown on the media. Disney movies are seen to be safe for children because it teaches, morals, values of sharing, believing in yourself and the importance of hard work and success. But many fail to see the ways Disney movies reinforces wrong messages to children. Many popular Disney movies show stereotypical gender roles, the false representation of other groups and cultures, which may affect children negatively in the feature.
Socialization helps us develop ways in which people develop perceptions, feelings, and beliefs. Socialization makes us who we are. The mass media is one agent of socialization in which significant developments of socialization occurs (Giddens 72).” Around age one or two children, “gradually come to understand that others have distinct identities, consciousness, and needs separate from their own (Giddens 70).” It is important to understand the messages given to young kids by the media because throughout their whole life they will keep and carry the information they learned about themselves and apply it to the world around them.
The most common stereotypical gender roles shown in Disney movies are women as weak and helpless, more often than not waiting for her prince to come save her such as snow white and sleeping beauty. In these mo...

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...has messages that are reliable and a good influence to children. But understanding the messages from the media is important. This knowledge is needed to be spread to others, people need to be aware of this problem. Everyone can do something, people can teach their children and the future generations about the problems involved with mass media. The media may shape societies norms but if people come together we can also shape the media.

Work Cite
Bonds-Raacke, Jennifer M. "Cinderella And Sleeping Beauty: Developing A Course On Disney And Fairytale Movies." Journal Of Instructional Psychology 35.3 (2008): 232-234. Academic Search Premier. Web. 23 Oct. 2013.
Giddens, Anthony. Essentials of sociology. 3nd ed. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 2008. Print.
McQuail, Denis. "The influence and effects of mass media." Mass communication and society (1977): 70-94.