Parents more receptive to diversity in children's programming than expected

Whether it's books, TV shows, movies or video games, parents prefer content that reflects diverse backgrounds. freemixer/Getty Images

According to a study conducted in the United States, parents are much more open to racial diversity in children's programs than previous studies had assumed. This content would be seen as valuable tools to help young people better understand their identity while discovering that of others.

Nearly two-thirds of parents surveyed said they watch programs that reflect racial and ethnic diversity with their children in a positive way. The study, conducted by the University of Kansas, surveyed 367 black, Latinx, and white parents with children ages 4 to 7. And the results are clear: The diversity of characters featured in the content is favored by the majority of parents.

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“I think it suggests that parents are open to racial and ethnic diversity and are looking for diverse content, and having more diverse content available in children's media over the last few decades has been helpful,” said Judy Watts, who led the study. “It also helps us understand parents' motivations in the media they choose for their children.”

A trend that is more pronounced in certain communities

While this trend is visible, it is even more pronounced among black and Latino communities. According to the results, black families tend to watch more programs with characters from their ethnic community: “This may be because this type of diverse content was not always as easily accessible as it is today,” explains the researcher. Latino families were more inclined to have similar or mixed characters.

The study showed that people prefer to watch programs with characters that resemble them, but that their identity does not prevent them from being favorable to representations of other communities.

“Parents have different socialization goals for their children. They want to help them discover their own identity and expose them to others. I think this shows that it is not a dichotomous decision or that you have to choose one or the other,” concludes Judy Watts.