What types of cultural messages about race and gender were present in each show?

Tasks: For this assignment, you will be asked to do the following:
Watch 2 children’s programs that are focused on the socialization and education of youth aged 9 to 12 years old and examine them for direct or indirect messages related to race and appropriate girl- versus boy-“behaviors, interests, actions, or hobbies.”
Your determination that a program contains behavior that might be portrayed as race (or ethnicity) specific can be based on the race/ethnicity of a single character or of the majority of the characters featured in the program.
Take note of/record which racial group or groups appear to be promoted during the show. Take note of/ and record the genders being promoted in the program and the behaviors, interests, or actions of all identified groups.
Programs that would be considered neutral, would have a similar number of children from majority and minority racial and/or gender groups represented. Neutral shows would also include “fictional” and/or non-human characters (i.e. cartoon character humans with non-traditional skin tones (i.e. blue, green, orange), or animals of any type, etc.).
Respond to the stated prompts discussed in the assignment information below.

Your response must address all of the content criteria and formatting requirements below:
From viewing the shows, what types of cultural messages about race and gender were present in each show? Again, you must clearly discuss the prompts for all shows which you watched
Type of program watched (Criterion 1): (this criterion should take approximately 2-3 paragraphs to address)
Clearly describe what type of TV show/program you watched. This includes the name of the show and the age of children it is intended to target.
(Remember, you should be discussing programs targeted at children aged 9 to 12 years old)
Identification of Characters (Criterion 2): (this criterion should take approximately 1-2 paragraphs to address)
For possible racial bias: Were the characters in each program identified by race or ethnicity? This can be direct or indirect identification (e.g. a person might classify the character as a specific race/ethnicity based on physical features or characteristics.) Were the featured children of one race/ethnicity or diverse racial and ethnic categories?
For possible gender bias: Were characters using male/female pronouns? Were most of the characters male/female or both equally?
Categorized Behavior (Criterion 3): (this criterion should take approximately 1-2 paragraphs to address)
Racial Bias: If characters were identified (directly or indirectly) as members of a specific race/ethnicity, what were some of the behaviors, actions, traits, etc associated with the group or individual? Here you’re being asked to think about direct or indirect messages about race/ethnicity (e.g. what does this group do, what is this group like etc).
Gender Bias: If characters were identified using gendered terms, what were some of the behaviors, actions, traits, etc associated with each gender? Here you’re being asked to think about direct or indirect messages about gender (e.g. “what boys do” or “what girls do,” etc)
Neutral Characters (Criterion 4): (this criterion should take approximately 1-2 paragraphs to address)
Did the programs show any characters portrayed neutrally? What kind?
This means identify any characters which appeared to be marketed to all racial groups, genders, OR were not explicitly race/gender-specific.
Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination (Criterion 5): (this criterion should take approximately 1-2 paragraphs to address)
Briefly define and explain the differences between stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination. Do not just copy from the textbook. You are being asked to explain and discuss this information. Thus, you need to use your critical thinking skills and logic to make connections, compare, and contrast your own experiences and knowledge with the ideas/research discussed in the textbook.
As part of your discussion make sure to provide a clear example of each.
When considering the children’s programs you watched, did they display characters in a stereotypical racial or gendered manner? If so, how? Provide specific examples from the shows. If they did not, discuss how the shows displayed characters in a “well-rounded” and impartial manner.
Self-Categorization, Social Roles, and Identity (Criterion 6): (this criterion should take approximately 1-2 paragraphs to address)
How might the images seen in TV programs/media and labeling of toys influence children’s racial and gender identities?
Provide clear examples, information, and research from the relevant textbook chapter to support your response. You are being asked to use critical and logical thinking to make the connection between racial/gender representation in media and racial and gender identity development in children.
APA style in-text citation and reference is required. Appropriate level of citation is REQUIRED. Students may not use websites, of any kind, as a primary source for definitions of chapter concepts or topics in their responses. Submissions which do not contain both APA style in-text citation and reference and/or which use websites of any kind as a primary source for definitions of chapter concepts/topics may receive a zero.
Discussion Formatting Requirements:
Discussion formatting must be:
Use of APA style in-text citations and reference is required. Appropriate level of citation is REQUIRED.
Do NOT use bullets, numbering, headings etc.
Essay format required.
Submissions which do not contain both APA style in-text citation and reference and/or which use websites of any kind as a primary source may receive a zero.
As stated in the syllabus and Obojobo modules on Avoiding Plagiarism, responses which do not contain BOTH in-text citation and references using the appropriate level of citation will be flagged for plagiarism and receive a zero.
Criteria: Responses that do not meet all of the content and formatting requirements listed above will receive point deductions. See rubric for point breakdown. For the discussion assignments, this is visible from the Grades list and selecting “Show Rubric” for this assignment.
Criterion#1 Identification of Characters
Criterion#2 Identification of Characters
Criterion#3 Categorized Behavior
Criterion#4 Neutral Characters
Criterion#5 Stereotypes, Prejudice and Discrimination
Criterion#6 Self-Categorization, Social Roles, and Identity
APA Citation & Reference
Discussion Formatting

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