Stella,+Nina

Final big question: How are gender stereotypes reflected? Specific big question: __How do childhood toys refect the different stereotypes of boys and girls?__

=Hypothesis= Childhood toys will reflect the gender stereotypes because people will tend to divide them specifically into boys' toys and girls' toys. For example, robots are known to be for boys, while dolls are for girls.

=Objective= The main objective of this project is to find out how gender stereotypes are reflected in childhood toys.

=Method= 1. Visit toy stores 2. Secondary Analysis 3. Final Comparison
 * for secondary analysis 1 - commercial models
 * take pictures
 * commercial models for toys
 * choose specific toys that are popular in both countries
 * find the commercials/advertisements of the toys as many as possible
 * write down if they had male or female models
 * compare the results of different toys by making a graph that shows the % of male/female model used for each toys
 * commercials/advertisements can be the toy box itself since some of them have picture of models on the cover boxes, TV commercial, posters and etc.
 * already researched statistics
 * statistics on popular toys in 2000s for each gender
 * compare the results of two nations and make a combined list of toys that girls prefer, boys prefer
 * compare results from all the various analyses
 * toys that mostly use female models ㅡ popular toys that girls prefer
 * toys that mostly use male models ㅡ popular toys that boys prefer
 * analyze if they are same, different, or etc.

=Potential Errors= When visiting toy stores, the result can be different according to the age, gender, personality and other personal factors of the clerks. Also, we must consider cultural differences of United States and South Korea because both countries probably have different gender stereotypes and toys.

=Scholarly Literature Summary=

- Stella Yun

//**Barbie Against Superman: Gender Stereotypes and Gender Equity in the Classroom**// by Bengü AKSU Published April 2005 @http://www.jlls.org/Issues/Volume1/No.1/benguaksu.pdf This research talks about how people are surrounded with images that portray gender stereotypes. Especially, the research focuses on the gender stereotypes shown in education. First, the culture teaches what it is to be like a girl or a boy that people tend to grow with certain images about each gender. Like the title of this research, girls are expected to play with Barbie dolls while boys are expected to admire Superman. Also, gender stereotypes are shown at school when boys try not to cry and girls do not try out for sports competitions very often. The research not only analyzes the gender stereotypes shown in life, but also suggests what parents and teachers can do to minimize those prejudices. For example, since studies had shown that different genders have different communication styles, teachers should try to use certain teaching techniques to avoid those gender differences as much as possible.By reading this study, I could see how gender stereotypes are obviously portrayed in people's lives. Most importantly, I learned how some adults try to prevent those gender stereotypes from happening.

//**Stereotypes and Identity**// by Felizitas Sagebiel and Susana Vázquez-Cupeiro Published 2010 @http://www.genderandscience.org/doc/TR3_Stereotypes.pdf This research suggests what gender stereotypes are found in the society, how they are formed, and how they impact the career choices of the people. The most significant part was that I learned how gender stereotypes are usually formed by family, school, peer groups, leisure activities, and mass media which are factors that are always in people’s everyday lives. Also, this research somewhat answered my big picture question, “how are gender stereotypes reflected in people’s lives”, by thoroughly explaining the gender stereotypes shown when people choose their jobs. For example, people tend to think there are two different types of science: male science and feminist science. Although there is no direct relationship between genders and sciences, people think men and women should be different in studying sciences. This also affects the careers because women tend to choose the jobs that are usually perceived as jobs that fit for women. This research was very helpful for me since it clearly portrayed how gender stereotypes are reflected strongly in people’s lives. Although I am focusing on toys which are for children, I felt that I will end up with a similar conclusion about how gender stereotypes are obviously shown in everyday lives, especially toys.

by Marusa Gortnar Published 2008 [] Interestingly, this research talks about if it is possible or impossible to eliminate gender stereotypes in people’s lives. First, it mentions how gender roles are taught to people in early childhood and pre-school period by family members, media, and toys. Second, it precedes to explain the gender roles shown when people are in their adolescence. The research then continues on to study if gender roles are shown in further education, public life such as politics and society organizations, and career choices. This research was interesting since it analyzed the gender stereotypes shown to people by different factors from childhood to adults. Also, when talking about childhood, it mentioned how toys are one of the factors that make gender stereotypes in people’s lives. Reading this study was helpful because it proved that toys clearly show those gender roles in the society. Also, I could further think of how gender stereotypes are not found in parts of people’s lives, but all the way throughout the whole life.
 * //Elimination of Gender Stereotypes: Mission (Im)possible?//**

=Results=

Stella Yun: Result for Secondary Analysis

=Key Note=