About this poster

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Panel information
Panel 5. Identity

Abstract

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Purpose: The social context in America is unfortunately marked by racism for Black Americans. As such, ethnic racial socialization (ERS)—messages about what it means to be Black—are a regular occurrence for Black youth (Simon, 2021). A large portion of the research literature on ERS centers on the types of messages Black children receive about race from their parents, often in preparation for racism. However, ERS is not limited to parental influence. An emerging body of literature explores the wide variety of explicit and implicit messages about race that kids receive – not just from people, but the objects and institutions with which they interact (Halliday, 2022). Toys, and particularly dolls, can serve as an object through which children explore and make meaning about race (Seow, 2019). The current study explores the messages about race and racism that children perceive while playing with Barbie. Specifically, we explored 1) What are children’s beliefs about race, racism, and the broader society? 2) How do those beliefs influence their interactions with Barbie? 3) And how do their interactions with Barbie influence those beliefs?

Data Sources: This study was conducted using archival footage from focus groups filmed in 2021 for a documentary film on the impact of Black Barbie. Participants consisted of 18 children ranging in age from 6-12 years old (83% girls; 83% African American, 11% Asian, and 6% Latina). Participants played with a diverse set of Barbies ranging in characteristics, such as skin tone, hair texture, and body type, while engaging in semi-structured focus group (6 groups of 3) conversations with a trained psychologist. Focus groups lasted about an hour and participants were asked their opinions about various Barbie-related topics, race, and racism.

Methods: Focus group data were transcribed using an electronic transcription service and further cleaned (i.e., by correcting any errors in transcription made by the service used). A combination of inductive and deductive approaches were used to develop a coding system to identify themes across focus group interviews (Packer, 2011).

Findings: Preliminary findings highlight the ways kids are trying to make sense of the things they know about race through their play with Barbie. Discussions around the phenotypic features that determine Barbie’s race and make Barbie similar or dissimilar to themselves illuminated complex thoughts about the physical features that are valued in society. Kids also endorsed messages of both diversity and representation. For example, when asked if kids from one racial/ethnic group could play with dolls of a different racial/ethnic group, participants unanimously supported cross-ethnic play. However, when discussing Black Barbie specifically, Black girls described the need for dolls that “look like me.” Kids’ observations also extended beyond physically playing with Barbie. The idea of “real” Barbie was discussed, with children of all racial/ethnic backgrounds identifying Malibu Barbie as the “real” Barbie for reasons, including her blond hair and blue eyes, in conjunction with her prevalence in store displays, advertisements, and movies.

Implications: Black dolls were originally created with the intention to support positive identity development for Black youth (Halliday, 2022). However, the current study highlights the reality that creating more diverse dolls alone is not enough to support positive ERS and identity development; the positioning of those dolls in relation to non-diverse dolls in society also informs kids’ understandings of race and racism (Seow, 2019). Thus, it is imperative that we move beyond mere representation and consider the full spectrum of ways kids draw meaning from their interactions with Barbie and other racialized toys. This research is imperative for toy companies, parents, educators, and anyone who is interested in facilitating positive ERS and identity development for kids.

Author information

Author	Role
Amirah Saafir, California State University Fullerton	Presenting author

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