A 2020 study found that playing with Barbie and other dolls activates a brain region related to empathy and social skills. Cardiff University monitored 33 children aged 4 to 8 during an 18-month However, the program was criticized by experts due to the concerns regarding the negative effects of Barbie dolls in gender stereotyping. The use of research in justifying the program is also They shared images of Barbie dolls, Emme dolls (a fashion doll modeled after a real-life U.S. plus-sized model), and no dolls with three groups of five- to eight-year-old girls, finding negative effects: Girls who saw images of Barbie reported lower body esteem and a greater desire for a thinner body than girls in the other groups. But experts have criticised the programme, raising questions about potential negative effects of Barbie dolls in terms of gender stereotyping, questioning the use of research to justify the Barbie’s negative impact [7,8], Barbie dolls have been criticized for providing young girls with a tangible physique-salient representation of unrealistic female body shapes. In fact, there are well-documented negative body image effects related to exposure to Barbie, including reduced Parents might think they are buying the ideal toy for their child, not knowing the shocking effects that come along with Barbie. The point is Barbie has a negative effect on girls because she supports an unhealthy weight, an unnatural beauty and is an unrealistic portrayal of women. This plastic doll affects each little girl differently. Plastic-free Barbie was a hoax, but pollution from the iconic doll is real. Environmental activists have seized on the hit movie “Barbie” as a way to spark a broader conversation about plastic Barbie. Image: Shutterstock. So playing with the dolls might not be an issue, but seeing images of Barbie is another story. Girls who viewed images of Barbie had poorer body image and wanted to be thinner than those who were shown pictures of an Emme doll (with proportions aligned with a US size 16) or images that weren’t of dolls. .

negative effects of barbie dolls