Gender Roles and Children's Television Advertising

Abstract

Abstract This study extends past research efforts that have examined the effects of gender-role portrayals on children. More specifically, the study empirically investigates whether children are aware of gender roles when exposed to ads containing either traditional (stereotyped) or nontraditional (counterstereotyped) role portrayals, and whether these portrayals have any measurable effect on their evaluations of the advertised product and advertisement. Effects due to the gender of the “voice-over” are also examined. The findings tend to suggest that role portrayals and voice-over gender may have little effect on ad and product evaluations. Interestingly, however, children's gender-appropriateness evaluations of the advertised product and advertising setting were influenced by the role-portrayal manipulations. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.