Barbie’s new look: Exploring cognitive body representation among female children and adolescents

Nesbitt, Amy; Sabiston, Catherine M.; deJonge, Melissa; Solomon-Krakus, Shauna; Welsh, Timothy N.

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0218315

Cited by 13 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 71 publications

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“…The study concluded that Barbie dolls negatively impacted girls aged 5-8 years by decreasing body image esteem and increasing the desire to be thin. The same impact was recently confirmed by Nesbitt et al [35]. Other researchers have also expressed concerns about the impact of Disney princesses on young girls and boys [36], although little empirical research has examined the impact of Disney princesses-as portrayed in the media-on preschoolers' behavior, gender stereotyping, body image esteem, and positive social behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

“…Items 1-12 of the questionnaire showed children had high satisfaction with aspects of their bodies. However, significant percentages of children wanted to be famous like social media [35,36], although Tadena et al [77] concluded that the younger children are, the fewer complaints they have about their appearance and body dissatisfaction. It is impossible to ignore the influence of social media in modern society [78].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Effect of Social Media Celebrities on Children’s Satisfaction with Their Body Image

Bahatheg¹

2022

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

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This study investigated the impact of social media and media on children's body satisfaction in early childhood. The effect of social media and media on children's body image and differences between girls' and boys' acceptance of their body image were explored. A questionnaire and an illustrated body satisfaction scale were distributed to a sample of 491 children in Saudi Arabia (246 girls, 245 boys) aged 5-7 years. The results revealed differences between children's responses to the illustrated body satisfaction scale and questionnaire. Questionnaire data revealed children were satisfied with their body image (91.4%, standard deviation [SD] 0.53), skin color (91.2%, SD 0.53), and weight (79.6%) and did not want to change their shape (73.7%). However, the illustrated body satisfaction scale indicated many children wanted to be like social media celebrities (37.9%), television and film celebrities (32.6%), and famous singers (25.5%). No statistically significant differences were found between girls and boys in body satisfaction, although 66.9% of boys wanted the shape of their body to be more muscular, and girls wanted blue or green eyes and blond hair. This study also revealed Disney princesses had a major effect on girls compared with other media. The researcher recommends conducting longitudinal studies in Arab societies, particularly in Saudi Arabia, to explore the influence of celebrities on children as they age. Importantly, educational policymakers should include pictures of Arab children in the curricula instead of foreign children.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 69%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effect of Social Media Celebrities on Children’s Satisfaction with Their Body Image

Bahatheg¹

2022

International Journal of Mental Health Promotion

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“…While welcomed as a step in the right direction (e.g., Haskins, 2019), empirical studies showed a mixed reaction. While young adolescent girls rated curvy Barbie dolls as the most likeable, they were also regarded as the least desirable and attractive, relative to the original, as well as to the tall and the petite Barbies (Nesbitt, Sabiston, deJonge, Solomon‐Krakus & Welsh, 2019). Harriger, Schaefer, Thompson and Cao (2019) further found that girls between the ages of 3 and 10 were least likely to play with the curvy Barbie, and more frequently assigned it negative attributes (e.g., “has no friends”; “not pretty”) compared to the original Barbie.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The values you endorse set the body you see: The protective effect of intrinsic life goals on men's body dissatisfaction

Newby

Moldes

et al. 2022

Scandinavian J Psychology

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The mass media portrayal of a muscular body type ideal has been increasingly tied to men's body image dissatisfaction. We examined the role of self‐determination theory's intrinsic life goals within this body image ideal and its potential as a moderator of this dissatisfaction. We first tested the moderating effect of intrinsic life goals on the link between magazine consumption and body image dissatisfaction via an online questionnaire (Study 1; N = 826), then experimentally manipulated these goals and exposure to images of muscular male models (Study 2; N = 150). A robust protective effect of intrinsic goals on body image satisfaction was observed – the relationship between magazine consumption and body image dissatisfaction was only significant among individuals with a lower level of intrinsic life goal orientation. When participants' intrinsic goals were momentarily heightened, they reported significantly less body image dissatisfaction, compared to those not receiving a strengthening of these goals. The results are the first to find a protective effect of intrinsic life goals on men's body image, and have important implications for intervention.

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“…Body processing is a basic human skill that is essential for social functioning in both children and adults [ 1 , 2 ], as it allows both the perception of others [ 3 ] and the representation of the corporeal self [ 4 , 5 , 6 ]. This ability relies on both visual and sensorimotor information [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Body Processing in Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study

et al. 2022

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Dysfunctions in body processing have been documented in adults with brain damage, while limited information is available for children. This study aimed to investigate body processing in children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI) (N = 33), compared to peers with typical development. Two well-known computerized body-representation paradigms, namely Visual Body Recognition and Visuo-spatial Imagery, were administered. Through the first paradigm, the body inversion and composite illusion effects were tested with a matching to sample task as measures of configural and holistic processing of others’ bodies, respectively. The second paradigm investigated with a laterality judgement task the ability to perform first-person and object-based mental spatial transformations of own body and external objects, respectively. Body stimuli did not convey any emotional contents or symbolic meanings. Patients with TBI had difficulties with mental transformations of both body and object stimuli, displaying deficits in motor and visual imagery abilities, not limited to body processing. Therefore, cognitive rehabilitation of body processing in TBI might benefit from the inclusion of both general training on visuo-spatial abilities and specific exercises aimed at boosting visual body perception and motor imagery.

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Barbie’s new look: Exploring cognitive body representation among female children and adolescents

Cited by 13 publications

References 71 publications

Effect of Social Media Celebrities on Children’s Satisfaction with Their Body Image

Effect of Social Media Celebrities on Children’s Satisfaction with Their Body Image

The values you endorse set the body you see: The protective effect of intrinsic life goals on men's body dissatisfaction

Body Processing in Children and Adolescents with Traumatic Brain Injury: An Exploratory Study

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