Peculiarities of Gender Stereotypes Formation of Preschool Children by Means of Children's Animation

Abstract

The influence of modern mass media, in particular children's animation, on the formation of gender ideas in modern society was analyzed in the article. It was considered that globalization, the spread of mass culture led to the transformation of value orientations of the younger generation, and the use of gender stereotypes caused a crisis of gender identity of a child in modern society. The transformation of traditional gender culture, as well as social guidelines, determined a constant search in the area of the modern subculture of a child of older preschool age, which was especially sharply extrapolated in the modern multicultural area. It created cultural models and types that served as models for imitation and creation of “self-images” for many children. Particular attention was paid to the process of gender stereotypes formation in childhood through the influence of children's animation.

Attention was emphasized on the fact that modern animation contributed to the unification of values  and models of gender behavior of preschool children and the change or mixing of gender roles, the formation of ideas about the difference between male and female representatives by emotional, cognitive characteristics, social and gender roles, specific professions and roles in society. It was proven that in modern society, children's animation was a powerful tool capable to influence the perception and behavior of the younger generation. Children's animation as a factor of socialization penetrated all spheres of our lives and significantly affected the formation of children's ideas about gender relations, about themselves, constructing a social world of gender relations of humanity. The issue in what manner children's animation affected the formation of gender stereotypes based on the study of popular animated films was under analysis in the article and ways to overcome gender stereotypes in children's animation were identified.