Johnson and Young Study

• aim


  to determine whether advertisers scripted TV adverts differently for female and male children, linking to toys and stereotypical roles, through analysing the language used
• research method


  content analysis, coding the language used in TV adverts
• sample


  478 children's cartoons from USA between 1996-1999 (may be less valid today)
• procedure


  adverts placed in 5 categories: food, toys, education, recreational facilities & video and movies, 147 toys adverts selected for focus, 3 categories: targeted towards boys in which boys were depicted, target towards girls in which girls were depicted, and adverts target towards both genders or there was no gender specific content
• 4 language analysis elements

  1. voiceover: gender, exaggerated, calm2. speaking lines given to kids3. use of the word 'power'4. verbs: action, competition, safety, control, limited activity, feelings
• results

  • action figures most commonly advertised for boys, dolls and animals for girlsmale voice overs were heard in every boy targeted and gender neutral ad, 89% of girl targeted ads had female voiceoverexaggeration used in both gendered ads but in different ways, boys: aggression, girls: high pitched or sing song voices1/5 of boys adverts used the word 'power', only heard in 1 of girls advertsfeeling verbs more common in girl ads, competition/destruction more common in boy ads
• conclusions


  language used in children's adverts show evident gender stereotyping, enforcing traditional ideas, e.g girls being nurturing, this may be because of a reliance of marketing strategies and/or the profitability of creating gender specific consumer behaviour