Kids Show Parents’ Tastes in Barbie Test
Preschoolers pretending to shop for a Barbie doll’s social evening were more likely to choose cigarettes if their parents smoked and wine or beer if their parents drank, a study found.
Researchers observing the children’s play found that the ones who watched PG-13 or R-rated movies also were more likely to choose alcohol for Barbie. A 4-year-old girl chose Barbie-sized tobacco in the pretend store and said: “I need this for my man. A man needs cigarettes.”
Parents who watched from behind a one-way mirror were surprised by their children’s choices, said study coauthor Madeline Dalton of Dartmouth Medical School.
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