Gender Representations on Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon Broadcasts in the United States

Abstract

Children's television programming provides young viewers with characters displaying behaviors and individual traits that may promote or counter gender stereotypical expectations. The present study examined behaviors of both female and male television show characters across three networks: Disney Channel, Cartoon Network, and Nickelodeon. Content analysis within and across networks investigated whether network target audience is associated with gender representations of feminine and masculine behaviors among characters. The analyses revealed more male characters (66 per cent) regardless of network target audience gender, but few differences in terms of stereotyped behaviors when comparing female and male characters across all networks. However, male and female gender stereotypical behavior (e.g., physical aggression, rescuing another, displaying affection) differed significantly across networks. No significant differences emerged between female and male characters portrayed on the Disney Channel, although there were some differences between male and female characters on Nickelodeon and between males and females on Cartoon Network. Implications for gender socialization of children, the target audience, are discussed along with possible future directions for research.