“Let it Go, Let it Go…”
We have all heard the popular chorus from the Disney movie Frozen, and with its character, Elsa, Disney regained popularity among adults and children around the world. Today it is the animated film that grossed the most money in the history of cinema.
With so much euphoria surrounding Disney movies, many parents and researchers have expressed concern about the possible effect that their characters (especially princesses) may have on self-esteem, body image and the promotion of stereotypes in children.
A study interviewed nearly 200 American children almost 5 years old and their parents to evaluate whether Disney princesses really had a negative effect on children’s learning and development.
Specifically, the study evaluated which toys the boys and girls in the research preferred and how often they watched a Disney program or movie that revolved around a princess. Parents were also asked to complete a behavior report for their children.
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Stereotypes and self-esteem
The results showed that 96% of girls and 87% of boys had seen one of the Disney movies or series. Unlike boys, girls were more likely to adopt film narratives during playtime.
When comparing the results, after a year of follow-up, it was found that frequent exposure to Disney princess games and movies was related to strong gender stereotyped behaviors in girls. Those girls avoided all experiences that were not considered feminine, for example: playing with other types of toys or getting dirty while playing, because that was not the way princesses behaved. These girls were more likely to express beliefs that girls should have different opportunities and goals in life.
It was also explored whether there was a relationship between girls’ self-esteem and the use of Disney princess products and movies, and the study did not find that it affected girls’ self-esteem and self-image. However, the researchers explain that perhaps effects on self-esteem could be found with a longer follow-up (remember that this study only followed up for one year). However, this is a hypothesis that must be tested.
Another fact that is important to highlight is that parents played an important role in learning stereotypical behaviors. According to the findings, parents were reinforcing Disney princess culture, which could also have serious long-term consequences on girls’ development. Those who have been raised as “spoiled little princesses” are more likely to give up in difficult life situations, they try less and generally focus on superficial qualities, such as beauty.
A positive effect on men
One of the findings that generated the most interest was that boys who played and watched weekly movies related to Disney princesses had better self-esteem and were more attentive to others. This find was quite small, but would be worth exploring further.
We cannot finish the article without first clarifying that this study is correlational and therefore we cannot attribute any causal responsibility to the Disney characters. There is an important relationship that needs more attention from researchers. For parents it is a wake-up call, we must be careful with the types of parenting that are reinforced in our children. It is nice to see a daughter dressed as a princess, but the most important thing should be to be able to teach her to function in different roles, so that she can explore the world, make efforts and not expect anything as a gift for the simple fact of being pretty.
The research is available in the journal and was developed by researchers at Brigham Young University.
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