Toys are a major component in young children’s lives. However, many toys are specifically designed based on the gender roles our society has enforced. For instance, girls are taught to believe that they are meant to become mothers, great house wives, and simply be feminine. This perception of girls has led many toy companies to produce and sell dolls, domestic items like kitchen appliances, and baking goods. Boys on the other hand are taught to be manly, strong, and tough. Based on this idea many of their toys entail trucks, motorcycles, action figures, and sport related gadgets. While these perceptions have changed over the years and our society is continuously working towards accepting the different gender roles, toy companies are still
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Blakemore and Centers (2005) specifically studied this relationship by conducting two studies. Their first study recognized that the gender stereotypes in toys are displayed in predictable manner. For instance, female toys are designed based on the domestic activities they are expected to fulfill that dolls are usually sold (Blakemore & Centers, 2005). Male toys, however, represent the aggression and manly characteristics boys are supposed to encompass that their toys consist of vehicles, weapons, and action figures (Blakemore& Centers, 2005). In the second study, Blakemore and Centers (2005) were able to conclude that girl toys were rated based on appearance and attractiveness, as well as enforcing female nurturing characteristics, which leads to developing girls domestic skills. This indicates that toy companies are strategic in how they advertise and sell their products to children. In other words, toy companies are enforcing the gender roles of boys and girls by the types of toys they sell specifically to each gender and the colors they use. By using these techniques children are raised to believe that females are meant to take care of the family and raise the children, while males grow up thinking that they have to be manly and
Blakemore and Centers (2005) specifically studied this relationship by conducting two studies. Their first study recognized that the gender stereotypes in toys are displayed in predictable manner. For instance, female toys are designed based on the domestic activities they are expected to fulfill that dolls are usually sold (Blakemore & Centers, 2005). Male toys, however, represent the aggression and manly characteristics boys are supposed to encompass that their toys consist of vehicles, weapons, and action figures (Blakemore& Centers, 2005). In the second study, Blakemore and Centers (2005) were able to conclude that girl toys were rated based on appearance and attractiveness, as well as enforcing female nurturing characteristics, which leads to developing girls domestic skills. This indicates that toy companies are strategic in how they advertise and sell their products to children. In other words, toy companies are enforcing the gender roles of boys and girls by the types of toys they sell specifically to each gender and the colors they use. By using these techniques children are raised to believe that females are meant to take care of the family and raise the children, while males grow up thinking that they have to be manly and