Neuroscience confirms it: playing with dolls stimulates empathy in children
What prompted Barbie to do this study?
Barbie has accompanied the growth of generations after generations, representing a point of reference and a moment of pleasant entertainment for children. It was always clear to us that playing with dolls had beneficial effects on children's brains. However, what prompted us to find scientific evidence to support our thesis was a "social need, which arises from a" careful reflection on how the way children play is changing. Today it is played very differently even simply from how the game was intended only a few years ago. The time that even the little ones spend every day in front of tablets or other technological devices has in fact increased and is still growing. And certainly the recent lockdown and all the limitations that parents and children have had to adapt to due to the Coronavirus have exacerbated the problem. Parents caught up in distance learning, smartworking and a thousand difficulties in moving and traveling, often having to give up contact with friends or spend hours playing outdoors, found themselves locked in the house with their children always attached to a video game. Many parents do. are asked in this period if individual play can help their children or not. Here, with our neuroimaging study that has really offered us surprising results we want to show them how playing with dolls, even alone, can have scientifically beneficial effects tried.
Why is empathy so important in children and what are its advantages?
Empathy is an important indicator of children's future success as it allows them to nurture relationships and develop an attitude of conflict resolution. Thanks to empathy then children are able to identify with others and understand the behaviors of others. This helps them in life both to become leaders and to transform themselves into better parents. Finally, empathy strengthens children and allows them to cope more effectively. autonomous and aware of the difficulties of life. As Dr. Michele Borba, a world-renowned educational psychologist, also advises, free play with dolls should be encouraged as well as children who speak freely while playing with dolls: listening to their words is essential to discover the their interests, their fears and the things they don't like. Dolls can be used to increase empathy in little ones, for example by encouraging children to comfort and cuddle their dolls while playing.
The results emerged from the neuroimaging study.
The study carried out by neuroscientists at Cardiff University, where researchers devote themselves to child development and adult health, with an interdisciplinary scientific approach, monitored brain activity in 4-8 year olds as they played with a variety of Barbie dolls and playsets.
No wonder the most relevant results are of interest to children of both genders!
In fact, playing with dolls manages to activate precisely those areas of the brain that allow children to develop their social skills, such as empathy. And what comforts adults most is that this brain activation can develop empathy. it also manifests itself indiscriminately when children play with dolls independently and not in company.
Playing with Barbies therefore allows children to experiment with new forms of social interaction and creates interpersonal skills useful for their future success. Parents concerned about their children's social and educational development can therefore breathe a sigh of relief!
