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Does Barbie make girls want to be thin? the effect of experimental exposure to images of dolls on the body image of 5- to 8-year-old girls

Dittmar, Helga; Halliwell, Emma; Ive, Suzanne

Authors

Helga Dittmar

Emma Halliwell

Suzanne Ive



Abstract

The ubiquitous Barbie doll was examined in the present study as a possible cause for young girls' body dissatisfaction. A total of 162 girls, from age 5 to age 8, were exposed to images of either Barbie dolls, Emme dolls (U.S. size 16), or no dolls (baseline control) and then completed assessments of body image. Girls exposed to Barbie reported lower body esteem and greater desire for a thinner body shape than girls in the other exposure conditions. However, this immediate negative impact of Barbie doll was no longer evident in the oldest girls. These findings imply that, even if dolls cease to function as aspirational role models for older girls, early exposure to dolls epitomizing an unrealistically thin body ideal may damage girls' body image, which would contribute to an increased risk of disordered eating and weight cycling. Copyright 2006 by the American Psychological Association.

Citation

Dittmar, H., Halliwell, E., & Ive, S. (2006). Does Barbie make girls want to be thin? the effect of experimental exposure to images of dolls on the body image of 5- to 8-year-old girls. Developmental Psychology, 42(2), 283-292. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.283

Journal Article Type Article
Publication Date Mar 1, 2006
Journal Developmental Psychology
Print ISSN 0012-1649
Publisher American Psychological Association
Peer Reviewed Not Peer Reviewed
Volume 42
Issue 2
Pages 283-292
DOI https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.283
Keywords Barbie, girls, thin, images of dolls, body image, 5 to 8 Year-Old Girls
Public URL https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/1040562
Publisher URL http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.42.2.283
Additional Information Additional Information : This study is the first to develop a method of examining the effect on young girls of exposure to selected images (including Barbie) on body dissatisfaction, in an experimental setting. Discussion considers theoretical implications and possible interventions to limit harmful behavioural consequences of negative body image.




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