Pokémon: Exploring the role of gender

In Study 1 college students (47 men, 104 women) watched Pokemon cartoons, and afterward they rated one of four trainers (persons who train creatures called Pokemon) on 28 characteristics. James, the male "bad" trainer, was rated lowest of four trainers on "masculine" traits inclu...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sex roles 2004-06, Vol.50 (11-12), p.851-859
Main Authors: OGLETREE, Shirley M, MARTINEZ, Cristal N, TURNER, Trent R, MASON, Brad
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cartoons
College Students
Elementary School Students
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gender roles
Mass Media Effects
Popular Culture
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Sex Role Attitudes
Sex Stereotypes
Social psychology
Social role. Sex role
Television programmes
Television Viewing
USA
Citations: Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:In Study 1 college students (47 men, 104 women) watched Pokemon cartoons, and afterward they rated one of four trainers (persons who train creatures called Pokemon) on 28 characteristics. James, the male "bad" trainer, was rated lowest of four trainers on "masculine" traits including strength, assertiveness, certainty, and being a leader. Jesse, the female "bad" trainer, was rated as sexiest and most aggressive. In Study 2 sixty-two elementary school children (28 girls, 34 boys) were individually interviewed. Fewer than 50% of the children could name a female Pokemon, and participants were more likely to choose a boy than a girl as a favorite trainer. Male Pokemon and trainers may be more central to the cartoon, and counter-stereotypical gender portrayals may be one way to portray a "bad" character even more negatively. (Original abstract)
ISSN:0360-0025
DOI:10.1023/B:SERS.0000029102.66384.a2