ABSTRACT
Disney Princesses can introduce young girls to stories of love and romantic appeal. However, concerns have arisen regarding their limited portrayals of beauty and idealized romantic love, which may constrain girls’ perceptions of relationship ideals. This chapter presents results from a survey with 623 undergraduate women that explored the consequences of Disney Princess exposure, engagement, and affinity in childhood on identity formation and romantic relationship beliefs in late adolescence. Findings indicate that engagement and affinity with the princess culture are associated with young women’s negative body image, increased self-sexualization, and stronger beliefs in romantic ideals. Favoring the earlier and more traditional princesses was associated with the highest levels of courtship stereotypes. Findings suggest that childhood engagement with characters and storylines that idealize courtship and femininity can impact related beliefs in adolescence.
