The theoretical part of this paper defines topics such as socialisation, gender, gender roles and growing up surrounded by media. Peter Berger and Thomas Luckmann (1988: 122) define socialisation as the fundamental, holistic introduction of an individual into an objective society or a part of it. During this process, the individual becomes a member of the society. Primary socialisation, which happens during childhood, is comprised of two fundamental processes: the internalisation of the societal culture and the structuralism of personality. A child's personality is built around the main values of a culture, until the values become a part of the personality. Children are being socialised differently based on their gender. Parents usually treat sons differently than their daughters. The term gender can stand for either the biological or societal sex. Biological sex is the one we are born as and are, therefore, attributed its stereotypical characteristics. Children internalise gender-specific connections around them before they turn one. We usually view men and women and their societal roles stereotypically. These roles are often shown in different media, which are one of the central institutions in a modern society. Children begin watching television before the age of one – the greatest leap in watching TV happens between the ages one and two. By the age of four, almost every child watches television. Programmes are often full of violence, sexism or are completely commercialised. Children are most attracted to cartoons, which can have a positive or a negative impact on them and become their daily habit.
In the empirical part, I research cartoons most often watched by children in my environment. From their choices, I have selected cartoons featuring characters of both male and female gender. I observe these characters and analyse their behaviour, role, and appearance. I focus on the differences between the genders and attempt to find out what the message of gender roles in children’s favourite TV programmes is. For the purpose of this research, I have used qualitative analysis and the method of content analysis through observation as a measuring instrument. In my research, I have found out that there are not many essential differences between the genders when it comes to the characters’ personalities, although, female characters are more often portrayed as mean, scornful and insulting. Female characters do behave accordingly to the stereotypically female characteristics, but they also show some behaviours, stereotypically attributed to males; however, male characters do not display any stereotypically female characteristics. The main difference between the genders portrayed in children’s TV programmes is the importance of physical appearance – female characters’ appearance and behaviours are also more often commented upon.
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