Poster #188 - Adventure Time and Steven Universe: The Impact of Nonbinary Television Characters on Attitudes and Beliefs

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Sex, Gender

Integrative Statement

Gender and intersectional representation in children’s television matters. People learn about gender and social categories through the media they consume (Bussey & Bandura, 1999; Gerbner, 1998). The gender-stereotypical representations in children’s media have been shown to influence viewers’ attitudes (Signorielli, 2012). For example, people tend to endorse more stereotyped beliefs after watching stereotyped media (Signorielli, 2012) and express more egalitarian views after watching counter-stereotyped media representations (Ward & Aubrey, 2017). This study examined how emerging adults’ attitudes on sexism and gender-neutral language moderated the effects of watching nonbinary television characters on their beliefs on stereotyping, gender non-conforming behavior, gender-neutral language, and transphobia. Participants answered surveys about their sexist attitudes. After answering these surveys, participants were randomly assigned to watch one episode of television with three levels of nonbinary characters. One show was a nature control show with no nonbinary characters and no representation of nonbinary themes (Cartoons for Kids), one show had a nonbinary character without additional nonbinary themes (Adventure Time), and one show had nonbinary characters with additional themes around nonbinary identity (Steven Universe). After watching the show participants provided summaries of the episode they watched and answered additional surveys about their attitudes. Results showed a main effect of sexist beliefs about women on stereotyped attitudes (p < .000, ɳ2 = .090), essentialist beliefs (p = .001, ɳ2 = .06), gender non-conforming behavior (p < .000, ɳ2 = .137) , gender-neutral language attitudes (p < .000, ɳ2 = .147), perception of sexist language (p < .000, ɳ2 = .112), willingness to change their language (p = .005, ɳ2 = .049), and transphobic attitudes ((p < .000, ɳ2 = .148). A main effect of sexist beliefs about men was related to gender-neutral language attitudes (p = .008, ɳ2 = .040). A main effect for sexist language attitudes was also observed for gender non-conforming behavior (p = .052, ɳ2 = .020), gender neutral language attitudes (p = .010, ɳ2 = .038), perception of sexist language (p = .020, ɳ2 = .030), and transphobic attitudes (p = .027, ɳ2 = .028). Additionally, participants sexist beliefs moderated the effect of watching various levels of messaging about nonbinary characters on their stereotyped beliefs (p = .052, ɳ2 = .022), and gender-neutral language attitudes (p = .010, ɳ2 = .038). These results provide evidence that watching television can affirm and reinforce the sexist or egalitarian beliefs that the viewers may have. Additionally, the attitudes people hold may moderate the impact of stereotyped or egalitarian messages from those media. Thematic analysis was conducted on participants’ descriptions of the television episode they were assigned to watch. Some of the themes that emerged included coercion and consent, alternative definitions of family units, the perception of nonbinary characters, sexualization of nonbinary characters, and participants’ active engagement with gender-neutral pronouns. Emerging themes suggest that watching television with nonbinary characters may encourage people to think about gender, family, and autonomy in nontraditional ways. This study contributes to the conversation on attitudes and perception can influence the way media impacts people’s beliefs.

Author

• Abigail Walsh, University of California Santa Cruz
  Presenting Author