Detailed Notes on Gender Schemas and Media Influence in Children

Introduction

• The study examines how children's exposure to animated Disney princesses modeling agentic behaviors affects their perceptions of princess characteristics and their own gender-typed qualities.
• Previous research indicates that children’s gender schematic cognitions guide their attention, affinities, and behaviors, often limiting their opportunities.
• Sample Size: 60 preschool children (Mage = 4.5 years); interview conducted at the beginning and end of six weeks.
• Results show that children's perceptions of princesses and themselves became less gender schematic after cumulative exposure to videos with agentic portrayals.

Gender Schema Theory

• Definition: Gender schemas are mental frameworks about gender-based behaviors, traits, and characteristics.
• Children actively categorize information from their environment, and gender is a prominent category.
• Components of Gender Schemas:
  • Superordinate Schemas: General classifications that drive boys and girls towards specific gender-typed activities.
  • Own-Sex Schemas: Narrow schemas that dictate whether activities are congruent with one's own gender identity.
• Adhering to strict gender schemas (gender schematicity) may limit children's exploration of non-typical activities.

Media Influence on Gender Schematicity

• Media shapes children's beliefs and attitudes about gender roles (Cultivation Theory).
• Children often identify with and model behaviors from same-sex characters (Bandura, 2001).
• Gender stereotypes in media, such as in Disney princess films, promote traditional gender roles:
  • Princesses: Often depicted as communal and nurturing.
  • Princes: Portrayed as agentic, assertive, and independent.
• Repeated exposure to these stereotypes can reinforce rigid gender schemas and limit children's exploration of diverse interests.

The Disney Princess Phenomenon

• The Disney Princess franchise includes over 25,000 merchandise items and has shaped gendered views since its inception.
• Content analysis reveals that princesses exhibit stereotypically feminine traits, while princes embody more masculine traits.
• Exposure to these characters can negatively influence children’s self-perceptions and societal roles.

Experiment Methodology

• Hypotheses:
  • Exposure to agentic princesses will reduce children’s schematicity regarding princesses and themselves.
  • Girls will display initially less schematic perceptions than boys.
• Participants: 60 preschool-age children (3-6 years old); mixed-gender composition.
• Longitudinal design with a pretest, intervention (viable media clip exposure), and two post-tests at two intervals.
• Measures Used:
  • Children’s Sex Role Inventory (modified for preschool understanding) assessed gender-typed perceptions.
  • Visual aids (cup scale) facilitated kids' responses.

Results and Findings

• Overall findings indicated significant changes in perceptions:
  • Children’s reports of princess agency increased significantly after intervention.
  • Children became less schematic in their perceptions of princesses (moving towards less gender-typed views).
• Girls showed greater decreases in schema regarding their own gender identities than boys.
• The impact of the intervention persisted over six weeks, albeit with slight increases in schematic representations.
• Both boys' and girls' schematicity regarding themselves converged over time.

Implications

• This study suggests that early exposure to characters exhibiting more inclusive and agentic portrayals can foster a flexible understanding of gender roles in children.
• It emphasizes the potential for media to play a role in cognitive development regarding gender identity.
• Continued exploration of non-traditional gender representations in children’s media could cultivate broader self-conceptualizations among young viewers.