Impact of ultra-thin dolls on girls’ body image

Cottonbro from Pexels - What was your favourite childhood toy? A car? A teddy bear? A doll? Many of us have fond memories of playing with dolls: dressing them up, combing their hair or doing some kind of role play with other toys. But new research shows that playing with ultra-thin dolls could make young girls want a thinner body. The small-scale study, led by our Psychology Department, shows that ultra-thin dolls may negatively affect body image in girls as young as five years old. Body dissatisfaction The researchers warn that the dolls, combined with exposure to 'thin ideals' in films, on TV and social media, could lead to body dissatisfaction in young girls, which has been shown to be a factor in the development of eating disorders. In the research, thirty girls aged between 5-9 years old played with an ultra-thin doll, a realistic childlike doll or a car. Before and after each play session, the girls were asked about their perceived own body size and ideal body size via an interactive computer test using pictures. Playing with the ultra-thin dolls reduced girls' ideal body size in the immediate aftermath of play.