Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated... Ok now this is a little F'd up! - GoFuckYourself.com

chipmunk · 12-20-2005, 02:07 PM

Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer
Mon Dec 19, 6:02 PM ET

LONDON - Barbie, beware. The iconic plastic doll is often mutilated at the hands of young girls, according to research published Monday by British academics.

"The girls we spoke to see Barbie torture as a legitimate play activity, and see the torture as a 'cool' activity," said Agnes Nairn, one of the University of Bath researchers. "The types of mutilation are varied and creative, and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving."

Researchers from the university's marketing and psychology departments questioned 100 children about their attitudes to a range of products as part of a study on branding. They found Barbie provoked the strongest reaction, with youngsters reporting "rejection, hatred and violence," Nairn said.

"The meaning of 'Barbie' went beyond an expressed antipathy; actual physical violence and torture towards the doll was repeatedly reported, quite gleefully, across age, school and gender," she said.

While boys often expressed nostalgia and affection toward Action Man ? the British equivalent of GI Joe ? renouncing Barbie appeared to be a rite of passage for many girls, Nairn said.

"The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown," she said.

Nairn said many girls saw Barbie as an inanimate object rather than a treasured toy.

"Whilst for an adult the delight the child felt in breaking, mutilating and torturing their dolls is deeply disturbing, from the child's point of view they were simply being imaginative in disposing of an excessive commodity in the same way as one might crush cans for recycling," she said.

Manufacturer Mattel, which sells 94 million Barbies a year worldwide, said the doll remained the "No. 1 fashion doll brand."

Mattel U.K. said that despite the findings of "this very small group of children, we know that there are millions of girls in the U.K. and across the world that love and enjoy playing with Barbie and will continue to do so in the future."

-=Chipmunk=-

PixeLs · 12-20-2005, 07:17 PM

So it's not really th game or the stuff they play with but the children's attitude toward them itself..

Weird kids..

com · 12-20-2005, 07:20 PM

"The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown," she said.

I'm sure this is straight out of the kids mouth. Cmon now... how many of us haven't strapped an M-80 to a barbie? You really think young girls are much different?

Mr Dickovitch · 12-20-2005, 07:23 PM

Or maybe the toys get broken when kids play with them?

reed_4 · 12-21-2005, 01:52 AM

the little girls can do whatever they want, anyway they own those dolls.

12-20-2005, 02:07 PM	#1
chipmunk Confirmed User Industry Role: Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: South Florida Posts: 1,039	Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated... Ok now this is a little F'd up! Researchers Find Barbie Is Often Mutilated By JILL LAWLESS, Associated Press Writer Mon Dec 19, 6:02 PM ET LONDON - Barbie, beware. The iconic plastic doll is often mutilated at the hands of young girls, according to research published Monday by British academics. "The girls we spoke to see Barbie torture as a legitimate play activity, and see the torture as a 'cool' activity," said Agnes Nairn, one of the University of Bath researchers. "The types of mutilation are varied and creative, and range from removing the hair to decapitation, burning, breaking and even microwaving." Researchers from the university's marketing and psychology departments questioned 100 children about their attitudes to a range of products as part of a study on branding. They found Barbie provoked the strongest reaction, with youngsters reporting "rejection, hatred and violence," Nairn said. "The meaning of 'Barbie' went beyond an expressed antipathy; actual physical violence and torture towards the doll was repeatedly reported, quite gleefully, across age, school and gender," she said. While boys often expressed nostalgia and affection toward Action Man ? the British equivalent of GI Joe ? renouncing Barbie appeared to be a rite of passage for many girls, Nairn said. "The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown," she said. Nairn said many girls saw Barbie as an inanimate object rather than a treasured toy. "Whilst for an adult the delight the child felt in breaking, mutilating and torturing their dolls is deeply disturbing, from the child's point of view they were simply being imaginative in disposing of an excessive commodity in the same way as one might crush cans for recycling," she said. Manufacturer Mattel, which sells 94 million Barbies a year worldwide, said the doll remained the "No. 1 fashion doll brand." Mattel U.K. said that despite the findings of "this very small group of children, we know that there are millions of girls in the U.K. and across the world that love and enjoy playing with Barbie and will continue to do so in the future." -=Chipmunk=- __________________ Matthew "Chipmunk" Sclier Skype: ChipmunkLF AvenueLink.com Personal Loan Offers & Data Management

12-20-2005, 07:17 PM	#2
PixeLs Too lazy to set a custom title Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 11,922	So it's not really th game or the stuff they play with but the children's attitude toward them itself.. Weird kids.. __________________ Make money on any traffic. Bi-weekly payments with no hold.

12-20-2005, 07:20 PM	#3
com Confirmed User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Portland, Oregon Posts: 4,541	"The most readily expressed reason for rejecting Barbie was that she was babyish, and girls saw her as representing their younger childhood out of which they felt they had now grown," she said. I'm sure this is straight out of the kids mouth. Cmon now... how many of us haven't strapped an M-80 to a barbie? You really think young girls are much different? __________________ Real. Professional. Hosting. .:Expect Nothing Less:. 320-078-843 :: www.realprohosting.com :: [email protected]

12-21-2005, 01:52 AM	#5
reed_4 Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 9,640	the little girls can do whatever they want, anyway they own those dolls. __________________

12-20-2005, 07:23 PM	#4
Mr Dickovitch Confirmed User Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 1,070	Or maybe the toys get broken when kids play with them?