New discovery: Boys like to play dolls more than toy cars

(scienceinfo.net) - Forget the trucks and toy cars! Boys like to play with dolls more.

- 5-month-old babies are more attracted to dolls' images than images of cars.

"This shows that boys like to play with dolls more than machines," the researchers said.

The toy trucks carefully packed in gift wrapping paper sparkling under your Christmas tree may be more appropriate than replacing with a doll. According to a study, boys may prefer to play with a Barbies doll than a Tonka truck.

Research at the University of Western Sydney suggests that this is because boys prefer to play with objects with faces rather than machines.

As part of the study, 4 and 5-month-old babies were shown pictures of men and women, and dolls as well as car shots and stoves.

The researchers then evaluated the amount of time the children were keeping an eye on the subjects, and considered their interest.

The study, published in Experimental Child Psychology , found that, like girls, boys were more likely to be attracted to dolls than cars.

Will the choice of toys affect a child in later life?

Participants in many campaigns, such as ' Let toys be toys' (Let Toys Will Be Toys) , have recently emphasized how toys are becoming more specific.

They complained that girls 'products are usually pink and often focus on characters like a princess or a housewife, while boys' toys are often blue and Encourage them to be scientific, athletic and masculine.

After conducting market research, Arklu toy company found that more than half of parents said that toys affect children in their future lives with regard to education, careers and Their lifestyle choices.

As a result, 92% felt that toys could contribute to disrupting sex division and 93% felt it was important for toys to help girls be happy and how to educate them.

'It sounds amazing, although what we do is buy dolls for girls and cars for boys, but science shows that boys also really like dolls' , the research leader, advanced. Dr. Paola Escuderro said.

'Everyone likes to buy dolls for girls and cars, trucks for boys, that's simply what we do.'

'This popular knowledge is supported by previous studies that found a 3-year-old boy likes to play with transport vehicles or construction while girls like to play with dolls more.'

A study at Harvard University two years ago said that girls play with dolls because they have been programmed so, not because of any gender stereotyping.

The study found that the chimpanzees in nature play games of boys and girls, very similar to babies.

Although both chimpanzees and chimpanzees play with sticks, chimpanzees treat the sticks the same way their mothers care for chimpanzees.

The results of this study show that girls play with dolls much more than boys, not because of the socialization of gender stereotyping but because of 'biological love'.

"However, using eye tracking technology, we find that the specific preferences of sex are not expressed in 5-month-old children, indicating that they are the result of physiological changes. , developing awareness or social pressure , 'Dr Escudero said.

While Dr. Escudero's research provides new scientific evidence for the natural connection of boys and dolls, the debate about what caused sex change occurred in older children. more is still a hot issue.

'More research is needed to fill gaps between 5 months of age and 3 years of age to determine if it is natural, or because nourishment creates boys' interest in cars and cars. stereotyped toys and toys related to men , ' she said.