Study: Barbie dolls limit girls' career choices

Researchers find difference in job outlook depending on toy

Barbie has taken all sorts of career paths: teaching, politics, even space exploration.  However, a new study suggests the plastic doll may limit how girls view their career choices in the future. 

According to an experiment by Oregon State University researchers, girls who played with Barbie felt they had limited job opportunities. In contrast, girls who played with the popular toy, Mrs. Potato Head, felt they could do just about anything a boy could do.

Researchers reached the conclusion by having a group of girls aged 4 to 7 pick whether they wanted to play with Barbie or Mrs. Potato Head.

After a few minutes, the girls were asked about possible careers.

They found girls who played with Barbie had a different outlook on jobs.

To read more about the study, click here.


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