Gender Roles Seen in Toys Essay - 1860 Words

Gender Roles and Toys By Shawna Robb English 101 Professor Solomon One room has pretty pink wallpaper with a princess border; the other is blue with monster trucks on one-wall and sports pictures on another. It is not hard to tell which room is female and which room is male. Male and female are used in this instance to define genders. Gender, unlike sex, is a universal guideline upon which individuals are placed. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles, behavior, and activities that a particular society considers appropriate for men and women. When the pressure of gender stereotypes is open to debate some say there are prenatal influences that are gender based. What is obvious is that gender plays a significant†¦show more content†¦Bandura’s Social Learning Theory says, â€Å"human behavior is transmitted, whether deliberately or inadvertently, largely through exposure to social models†(Bandura 1). When a child thinks that a behavior will be punished versus rewarded but instead is not even acknowledged they will percei ve it as a reward. Children usually continue rewarded behavior to receive more praise. Television is seen as a â€Å"super tutor† to Bandura, the child will model what they see on television, not knowing if it is good or bad. For those children whose parents are not good role models, the television becomes the behavioral role model. If violence and aggression is viewed on the television, it is more likely that children will engage in violent and aggressive behavior. While television can model appropriate behavior, there is a well-documented tendency for violence and aggression. Advertisements are difficult to avoid since they are interwoven in shows and they tend to emphasize violent and aggressive behavior (Kilinger 13). In the study by Kilinger, Hamilton and Cantrell they observed â€Å"children’s perceptions of aggressive content, stereotypic sex-role behavior, and appropriateness of television toy commercials†(Kilinger, 11). The results of the study support the notion that there is a gender bias in terms of aggressive content and consequently aggression potential. The results did showShow MoreRelatedWomen s Social And Mental Development1439 Words   |  6 Pagesmean to be a specific gender. As a result, it can be seen that today’s modern western pop cultural, has become globalized into an industry of gender roles in which has transformed mainstream television, commercial ads, movies and toys. Stereotypical traits have been assigned to each gender and has become a significant problematic concern among adults in raising children. With the significant rise for entertainment in mainstream filmography and media presentations, it can be seen how western societiesRead MoreToys Are Not Pop Out Of The Womb With Ideas Of Gender Roles797 Words   |  4 Pagesthe womb with ideas of gender roles, nor do they have any expectations about their future careers. It is of interest to many that the gender stereotypes and gender roles seen in toy s marketed for children highly resembles those seen in adult life. At an early age, many children, especially those in the western world, have already developed ideas about careers and lifestyles suitable for boys or girls. It is obvious that these ideas can be learned through interactions with toys that are marketed byRead MoreGender Roles : Social Learning Theory And Sex Segregation1190 Words   |  5 PagesGender roles play a huge part in society. Gender plays a role in shaping an individuals identify and beliefs. It also helps identify what is masculine and what is feminine. 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Parents are responsible for nurturing and teaching children about multiple aspects in life, including gender norms; this occurs both consciously and unconsciously. One-way parents pass on their beliefs about gender and gender norms are through the giving of heteronormative toys. Toys children play withRead MoreHow Long A Male Child Will Play And Or Interact With A Toy Once They Are Told The Toy1416 Words   |  6 Pagesor interact with a toy once they are told the toy is â€Å"for girls†. Though this topic can be complex to study, it is incredibly relevant due to the fact play in general; has a huge impact on children and their development along with enhancement in the context of multiple skills, such as social skills, emotion regulation, affection and attention span. Weisgrama (2014) suggested that gendered toys along with ge ndered jobs were already noticed by young children, for example, if a toy is a more masculine