Barbie And Ken Sociology

While children may not fully comprehend the gender, racial, and social divides that exists in the toy stores they shop, it is clearly evident that most toy stores are segregated according to said aforementioned factors. From an early age, our Christmas, Chanukah, birthday, etc. presents teach us that boys should exhibit strength, power, aggression, and self-confidence, while girls should exhibit innocence, grace, emotion, and beauty. This is never more obvious than when one analyzes the complex sociological relationship between Barbie and Ken. Obviously, there are many similarities between the two; both are gorgeous, both exude luxury, and both often represent the aspirations of young boys and girls across America. However, gender, race, and

We took a multifaceted approach to our research at each toy store; in doing so, we hoped to collect helpful data concerning toys and sociological issues confronting this nation. First, we analyzed the layout of each toy store, from the wall design, to the toy color, to the toys themselves. The layout of the store itself provided valuable insight, as will be made evident later. Then, we proceeded to take an in-depth look at each individual toy. Prior to our research, we hypothesized that there would be a strong distinction between the gender roles of boys and girls. We proposed that toys associated with girls would exhibit feminine characteristics, while toys associated with boys would exhibit masculine characteristics. Some of the feminine and masculine characteristics that we predicted were color (dark colors for boys / bright colors for girls) and appearance (strength for boys / innocence for girls) Additionally, we thought that the toys would have an interest association corresponding to gender; “girl toys” would favor household tasks, including chores, babysitting, dressing, and decorations, while “boy toys” would prefer sports, fighting, and abstract design, perhaps LEGO. As it pertains to race, we predicted a disproportionately low number of African American dolls compared to the US population, because of the potentiality for said dolls to be interpreted as racist and due to white dominance in American society. We also believed that toys would showcase wealth and luxury, as such ideals are aspirations of families across