W HAT?
PROJ ECTOVERVI EW
( PROBLEM)
THE I NFL UENCE OFFAI RY TALES ON CHI LDRENʼ S PERCEPTI ONS OF GENDER:An i nves t i gat i on oft he i nf l uence off ai r yt al eson t he f or mat i on of chi l dr enʼ si dent i t y. My di s s er t at i on wi l lexpl or et he way f ai r yt al escont r i but et o chi l dr enʼ s behavi our al pat t er ns ,val ue s ys t emsand t he f or mat i on ofgenderi deol ogy and s t er eot ypes .
W HY? ( EFFECT)
Chi l dr en' sper cept i onsofgender r ol esar e hi ghl yi nf l uenced by whatt hey r ead and whatt hey wat ch.Soci all ear ni ng t heor i s t sar gue t hatchi l dr en ar e mor el i kel yt o modelt hems el veson s ames ex i ndi vi dual sby payi ng mor e at t ent i on t os ame s ex peer s . ' Cl as s i c'f ai r yt al es( whi ch mos tchi l dr en ar e expos ed t of r om s uch a young age)ar e al lbas ed ar ound t he s ame pr i nci pl e wher et he f emal e char act er s wai tf ort hei rmal e count er par t st o whi s kt hem away t ot hei rhappy endi ng. Thi scoul dl ead t ol i t t l e gi r l si mi t at i ng and model l i ng t hems el vesaf t ert he qui t e unas s er t i ve char act er i s t i csoff emal e char act er si nt hes et al es ,i ns t ead of bei ng act i ve and l eadi ng t hei rown l i ves-whi ch can l at eraf f ectt hem i nt hei r adul t hood cons t r ai ni ng t hei rl i f et i me oppor t uni t i esf oran educat i on ora car eerorwhat everambi t i onst hey may have.
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