The Cultural Impact of Disney Animated Films: Child Perceptions of Gender, Race, and Self

For many years Disney has become one of the most symbolic attributes of American film and culture. Much like other forms of media, literature, and film, Disney has become a major part of what children absorb as their culture. Disney films hold the capability to have a significant impact on children's social and emotional development. The purpose of this research is to establish whether Disney animated films have an influence on children's understanding and development of self-image, gender-roles, and social behaviors. Methods used for this research included content analysis of Disney animated films and analysis of literature and case studies pertaining to Disney and child development.