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The Depiction of Gender Roles in Toy Commercials and the Effects on Children. We have all seen them, or perhaps even been one: a contented child, eyes focused in myopic bliss upon the cartoons of a Saturday morning. A bowl of Cocoa Puffs or Froot Loops balanced precariously in his or her lap, the child is transfixed by the pixellated landscape. Suddenly the animated reverie is interrupted. A commercial break disrupts the program, and the child anticipates this weekend’s influx of new advertisements. Perhaps the new Barbie or G.I. Joe commercial will be on, extolling the virtues of the latest line of plastic demigods. One begins to wonder: how does the child react to these seemingly innocent toy commercials? Are images and ideas imprinted upon their growing minds that could shape the way they view societal issues such as sexuality and materialism? I have encountered several interesting studies that illuminate the effects of our media-engulfed culture upon the malleable minds of children. These studies reveal close associations between the viewing of toy commercials and children’s recognition of specific brand names and perception of gender roles in society. Using the statistics gathered from the studies th