(Photo by RDNE Stock project via Pexels)
By Stephen Beech
Children's picture books enforce "outdated gender stereotypes" when it comes to coping with pain, according to a new study.
Boys are more likely to experience pain (53%) than girls (29%) in the books studied, but girls were far more likely to cry (78%) when faced with pain than boys (22%).
Researchers from the analyzed hundreds of popular children’s picture books for the study, published in the .
They found that pain and injury are depicted in about one in five stories, with the most common experiences being bumps, grazes, or falls.
But the ways in which pain was represented varied "significantly" between boy and girl characters, with old-fashioned stereotypes persisting across storylines.
As well as boys experiencing pain more while girls cried more, when characters were shown helping others, boys tended to offer advice or problem-solve, while girls were more likely to provide comfort and support.
(Photo by RDNE Stock project via Pexels)
That reinforces the notion that girls are nurturing while boys are practical, according to the research team.
The study also found that "prosocial" behavior - such as helping or comforting others when they were hurt - was surprisingly rare.
When help did occur, it was more often physical assistance than emotional support.
There were also more passive bystanders who observed pain (60%) than characters who responded to it (28%).
Lead researcher Dr. Sarah Wallwork says while picture books present "powerful opportunities" for children to learn about the world, they can also be "limiting" when they "perpetuate unhelpful messaging" about pain, including gendered stereotypes.
Dr. Wallwork said, “Shared reading provides important opportunities for young children to understand the world, including what to do when injured or in pain, or to have empathy and provide assistance when another may be hurt.
“When picture books show boys brushing off injuries or girls tending to others, we risk reinforcing narrow social scripts about empathy, resilience, and care."
She added, “Children internalize what they see.
(Photo by cottonbro studio via Pexels)
"When boys are presented as stoic, it may encourage them to conceal their pain – a behaviour that has been linked to an increased vulnerability to pain later in life.
“Similarly, when girls are consistently portrayed as carers, it reinforces expectations that empathy and nurturing are ‘female’ traits.”
Co-researcher Dur-E-Nayab Mehar says parents and educators can use shared reading to "challenge" the messages.
The doctoral student at the said: “By being mindful of the stories we share, we can start meaningful conversations with children about empathy, care and how to respond to others when they are injured or in pain.
“Asking questions like ‘How do you think that character feels?’ or ‘What else could they do to help?’ can open up valuable discussions about both physical and emotional support."
Mehar added: “We need children to learn that it’s okay to feel pain, to express their emotions in healthy ways, to care and respond to others thoughtfully, kindly and in practical ways, regardless of gender.
“Perhaps then, the stories we share with children will help nurture compassion and empathy - where pain is acknowledged, support is given, and children grow in their ability to offer this support to others.”