toy op-ed reflection

In this article it is suggesting that some parents are not letting their kids play with toys that appeal to the opposite gender. It is saying that kids should be able to play with whatever toys they want no matter what gender they are. I agree with letting kids play with the toys they want.  I do agree that children toys can encourage gender stereotypes, such as the barbie. I do not believe that all kids are raised to choose toys based on their gender. The author is suggesting kids want to play with toys meant for the opposite sex, and it could be true in some cases, but I found a couple different sources that suggest girls and boys pick toys based on their dominant visual systems and the way they see color. It is scientifically proven that girls and boys see differently. Girls could be more drawn to barbies or dolls because they see colors differently and they are interested in more detail. Boys could be more drawn to toy cars because they are more attracted to movement. The girls dominant visual system as little kids is called the Parvocellular system. It is more attracted to color, texture, and detail. The boys dominant visual system as little kids is called the Magnocellular system. It is more drawn to speed, direction, and change in direction. Cars have wheels and move, dolls have detail and colors. I do not think that what toys children choose to play with has as much to do with environment as it does the wiring of their brains. Dr. Gerianne Alexander was doing related research on monkeys. She put a colorful plush doll out as well as a grey truck to see which gender would choose which toy. The girl monkey chose the colorful plush doll and the boy monkey chose the grey truck. Does this mean monkeys enforce gender stereotypes or are their dominant visual systems perceiving differently?


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