Disney blockbusters have captivated children for generations, with many dreaming of looking “as pretty as a princess” one day.
But scientists now say that Cinderella and Aurora are among countless characters that are most damaging to children’s self-esteem.
New research, led by the University of California, has shed light on the connection between a young man’s favorite princess body shape and his confidence.
Aurora, Snow White and Cinderella were considered to have a “less positive” influence on a child’s self-esteem due to their thinness.
By contrast, kids who idolize Merida or Moana from Brave were much more likely to be confident, thanks to their more “realistic” body types.
New research, led by the University of California, has shed light on the connection between a young woman’s favorite princess body shape and her confidence.
“Disney princesses are presented to children as aspirational characters,” the authors wrote.
‘For example, Disney princesses are often depicted as extremely thin, and their thinness is often associated with their attractiveness (for example, Snow White is called “the fairest of all” and Aurora is blessed with the “gift of beauty” in their respective films).
“Thus, Disney movies with skinny princesses may reinforce the social narrative that thinness is more socially desirable or, as other authors have written, kindness is equated with thinness.”
As part of their analysis, the researchers examined a data set of 61 Disney movies, with a total of 112 characters ranked by body size.
In general, the princesses in the older Disney movies were classified as “skinny,” while more modern figures like Merida fell into the “regular size” category.
A group of parents were then asked which princess their child most identified with, in addition to other questions about their the perceived self-esteem of the youth.
Princess Elsa from Frozen was a clear winner among both boys and girls, with 76 and 94 respectively considering her their favourite.
Meanwhile, the “realistically sized” Moana came in second, while ultra-slim princesses like Elsa, Anna and Jasmine also made the top 10.
Overall, the experts found that children were more likely to have a positive attitude about their self-esteem if their favorite princess was average in size.
A new study, led by the University of California, claims that a child’s favorite princess and self-esteem are linked.
Princesses from older Disney movies were classified as “skinny,” while more modern figures like Merida fell into the “regular-sized” category.
Children who idolize Merida or Princess Moana from Brave are much more likely to be confident
Princess Anna from Frozen was a favorite with children at the California-based studio.
Snow White was one of several princesses considered “thin” by researchers
But those who had a thinner favorite princess had no significant link between the time they spent “playing pretend” and their esteem.
This was the case for both boys and girls, but previous research indicates that boys may even be much more influenced by Disney princesses.
Psychologist Catherine Hallissey told MailOnline that characters like this can influence entrenched attitudes even if they go unnoticed.
“Children and adults are influenced by everything around them, so if children play with a certain type of toy, it will influence their thoughts and attitudes,” he said.
“If that toy is an idealized version of beauty, this will have an impact on the child’s perception of beauty and by extension how they feel they measure up to this idealized version of beauty.
“Therefore, if a child plays with a toy that has a more realistic body type, they are more likely to develop a more realistic view of body shape, size, and proportions.”
As a result of the findings, the authors believe that average-sized characters are more beneficial to children, as they act as a “protective context” for their esteem.
They wrote: ‘Specifically, representations of the body size of princesses appear to be particularly striking for young children, although our analyzes suggest that thin princesses may not necessarily be harmful to young children.
“Instead, our findings suggest that princesses with average body sizes create a protective context for children’s body esteem, especially when they interact with these princesses through pretend play.
“These findings add further nuance to our understanding of the effect of media participation on children’s development of body esteem and gender stereotypes, allowing us to better understand how Disney princesses specifically may play a role.” role in the life and growth of children.
READ MORE: Kids should get lessons in school on building strong relationships to counter ‘Disneyfied’ portrayals of love, scientists say
Ask any child what their favorite movie is and chances are they’ll mention a Disney movie, like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ or ‘Aladdin.’
However, experts believe that these movies give them the wrong idea about what a healthy relationship looks like.
In ‘Aladdin’, the hero leads Princess Jasmine away from the restrictive palace life, while ‘Cinderella’, ‘Snow White’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ involve a young woman who is saved by a ‘handsome prince’.
Researchers from the University of Exeter surveyed young people and found that they wanted to learn skills that would help them develop relationships at school.
In ‘Aladdin’ (pictured), the hero leads Princess Jasmine away from the restrictive palace life. Experts believe Disney movies give the wrong idea of what a healthy relationship looks like
