With children constantly bombarded with images/videos and other forms of advertisement encouraging to play certain games or have certain habits, Americans see this and are conforming to what they see others do. Another example of persuasive media is that if many ‘manly men’ play football, because it is seen as a sport that encourages power and strength, other men who want to be more masculine will likely choose to play football rather than any other sport because of this. The media is a socializing agent that is sending messages to children persuasively, influencing what children consider valuable and normal. Authors Aaron Devor and Barrie Thorne assist in demystifying childhood gender role behavior through films including Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and other forms of media including the toys children play with. It can be suggested that through the persuasive images and films, the media is teaching male children to become more aggressive and violent through reward, and for young female children to become more submissive through happiness.
According to Aaron Devor, there are two different forms of influences to children, the first is from a significant other (possibly a teacher, parent, role model, etc.), and the second is from a generalized other (figures seen in the media). It can be seen that from a very young age when children are starting to formulate conclusions on their own, they are taught that boys are separate from girls. Through separate play areas, restrooms, games, etc., children are lead to believe that people of the opposite sex are more different than they are the same. According to Aaron Devor, author of Becoming Members of Society,” he states, “five to seven year olds become convinced that they are permanent members of their gender grouping” (528). This means that at a young age is when children begin to define what they consider normal. This is greatly in part to the institutions that hold them. It ...