From the Sleeping Princess to the World-Saving Daughter of the Chief: Examining Young Children’s Perceptions of ‘Old’ versus ‘New’ Disney Princess Characters

Abstract

Both popular and academic discourse has noted progressive change in the gender role portrayals of much-loved Disney princess characters. However, at present, little is known about children’s recognition of such changes, or of their interpretation of princesses’ gendered behavior. This study therefore asked 131 8–9-year-old UK children to attribute various feminine and masculine characteristics to ‘princesses’ both before and after watching an ‘old’ (Sleeping Beauty) versus ‘new’ (Moana) Disney princess movie. Post-movie they were also asked to attribute these characteristics to the princess characters (Aurora and Moana respectively) and were assessed on their labelling of thirteen popular female characters as ‘princesses’. Results showed that whilst children recognized the largely feminine versus androgynous gendered profiles of Aurora versus Moana respectively, viewing a ‘newer’ Disney movie did not change their perception of ‘princesses’ more broadly. Moreover, a large proportion of children did not identify Moana as a princess at all. Results therefore simultaneously complicate and enhance the current discussion regarding the influence of gender role models, particularly those within the Disney franchise, on the development of gender knowledge and identity in young children.

The Rise of the Androgynous Princess: Examining Representations of Gender in Prince and Princess Characters of Disney Movies Released 2009–2016

“…In other words, the largely passive behavior of older princesses such as Snow White and Cinderella (Davis 2006) have been replaced by the active, strong, and independent characters of Merida and Moana. These findings reflect children's own awareness of the changing behavioral profiles of princess characters (Hine et al 2018), and support suggestions by the press that popular media sources, including Disney, may be starting to provide positive and behaviorally balanced role models, such as Moana, for young girls (Dunsmore 2017; Duralde 2016; Machado 2016; Ngata 2016; To 2016). Such results are consistent with patterns of social change proposed by Social Role Theory (Eagly 2013), as the new gender profiles seen in "2000s to 2010s" Disney movies both reflect and subsequently shape the changing role and increased freedom of women and girls in Western society (Marsh 2016).…”

“…Such results are consistent with patterns of social change proposed by Social Role Theory (Eagly 2013), as the new gender profiles seen in "2000s to 2010s" Disney movies both reflect and subsequently shape the changing role and increased freedom of women and girls in Western society (Marsh 2016). This change is particularly important considering the numerous theories which highlight the importance of such models within the environment for gender identity formation (for example, Gender Schema Theory, Martin and Halverson 1981), and the suggested positive implications for the socio-emotional wellbeing of young girls of observing such models (Hine et al 2018).…”

Balancing Gender and Power: How Disney’s Hercules Fails to Go the Distance

“…In the realm of female gender norms, Disney has become less rigid; in Moana (2016), there is evidence that a more androgynous portrayal of the title character is apparent to child viewers who do not, however, generally consider Moana to be a princess (Hine et al 2018). Because of the $3 billion in retail sales in 2011 of the Disney Princess brand (Goudreau 2012), there are clearly financial obstacles to more progressive gender roles that deviate from stereotypical princess traits.…”

“…Because of the $3 billion in retail sales in 2011 of the Disney Princess brand (Goudreau 2012), there are clearly financial obstacles to more progressive gender roles that deviate from stereotypical princess traits. While Hercules is not considered a Disney princess film due to the characterization and implications of the would-be prince and princess, the reasons for the film's exclusion from this category illustrate how certain gender norms are deeply entrenched and are only recently starting to depart from longstanding tropes, at least in the case of princesses (Hine et al 2018), that arguably have more latitude in terms of acceptable behavior that is gendered (Coyle et al 2016).…”

“…While recent research (Hine et al 2018) shows Disney moving towards androgenic portrayals of female leads in films like Moana, there has yet to be such latitude permitted to male heroes. Disney's character Maui, for example, in Moana (2016), who like Hercules is a demigod, gains status through hypermasculinity, which is exaggerated to the point of his violating the goddess Te Fiti with his beloved phallic fishhook (Streiff and Dundes 2017a).…”