A03

• What are the strengths of the influence of media on gender roles?

  1. Role played by counter-stereotypical models

  • C.A. - difference in children’s perceptions

  2. Research support
• What are the limitations of the influence of media on gender roles?

  1. Correlations not causation
• Strength = role played by counter-stereotypical models

  • Media = key socialising agent for gender role development and evidence suggests can play a positive role in challenging gender stereotypes
  • Disney is a valuable tool to observe influence of male and female behavioural norms, views and expectations
  • Disneys narrative has upheld and challenged gender stereotypes
  • Traditional romantic arcs shifted - e.g. Mulan (1998), Brave (2012), Frozen (2013), Moana (2016)
  • Pingree (1978) - gender stereotyping reduced among school-aged girls when shown TV adverts of women in non-stereotypical roles
• C.A. for role played by counter-stereotypical models

  • However Pingree (1978) found in the same study that pre-adolescent boys displayed stronger stereotypes after exposure to the non-traditional models / counter-stereotypes
  • It is possible that this ‘backlash‘ occurs because boys of that age want to maintain a view that ran counter to the adult view
  • This ultimately suggests there are significant gender differences in children’s perception of their own and the opposite gender‘s traditional stereotype and role
• Strength = research support

  • Establishing a causal relationship between TV and subsequent behaviours is difficult
  • Town in Canada provides researchers with unique opportunity to examine this
  • The town code named Notel could not get TV as it was situated in a remote valley
  • Williams (1985) - longitudinal, naturalistic study on the town and a town with a single TV channel (Unitel) and one with 4 broadcast channels and cable (Multitel)
  • Studied towns before TV came to Notel and after it had TV for 2 years
  • Found children’s views and behaviours were more sex-stereotyped post TV introduction
• Limitation = correlation not causation

  • Fact those who spend more time on social media, TV and videogames hold stronger gender-stereotyped beliefs = correlational
  • Durkin (1985) - very young children are not passive and uncritical recipients of media messages
  • Norms in child’s family may be bigger determinant on gender attitudes and behaviour
  • If media representations confirm existing gender attitudes of child they are likely to be reinforced in their mind = media is secondary to other influences
  • Significant gender development occurs before the age of 4 when media influences are weaker