Английская Википедия:Blonde stereotype
Шаблон:Short description Шаблон:Use dmy dates Шаблон:Pp-pc
Blonde stereotypes are stereotypes of blonde-haired people. Sub-types of this stereotype include the "blonde bombshell" and the "dumb blonde". Blondes are stereotyped as less intelligent than brunettes, which has led to the popularity of blonde jokes made on these premises. However, research has shown that blonde women are not less intelligent than women with other hair colors.[1]
The blonde bombshell is one of the most notable and consistently popular female character types in cinema.[2] Many showbiz stars have used it to their advantage, including Jean Harlow, Marlene Dietrich, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield, Brigitte Bardot and Mamie Van Doren.[3]
Studies conducted in the Western world have found that dark-haired women are generally considered more attractive than blond women.[4][5][6] In East Asia, blond women are ranked firmly below black-haired East Asian women in the female beauty hierarchy, and blond women report feeling de-sexualized and masculinized by East Asian beauty standards.[7][8] In one study, 92% of blond women thought their hair color was the ideal; yet only 32% of heterosexual men considered blond women the ideal.[9]
Background
There are several aspects to the stereotypical perception of blonde-haired women.[10]
A 2008 study found that men in Greater London, England preferred dark haired women rather than women with blonde hair.[4] A 2018 study based on University of Florida students found that men prefer brunette women over blonde women.[5] These studies offered differing explanations for this preference. Worthham, et al. (2018) propose that stabilizing selection (preference for people with normal appearances) may be responsible for the male preference of dark-haired women. These authors noted that, while women from different geographic regions varied their preferences in male hair color, men did not vary in their preference for female hair color across regions.[5] However Swami, et al. (2008) have posited that men may prefer women with dark hair because they are predominant in the fashion and modelling industries, or because they may be perceived as healthier or more fertile than blonde women.[11]
In 2014, a study analyzed the experiences of blonde Swedish women who migrated to Singapore, a country with a large population of Chinese people. Swedish women were ranked below Chinese women in the female beauty hierarchy. According to the author, the blonde hair of Swedish women reduced their femininity, because it was racialized as a Western trait. The authors also noted that these women's Swedish husbands were highly attracted to local East Asian women, which further reduced the self-esteem of the blonde Swedish women.[7][8]
According to Lora Jacobi and Thomas Cash, it has also been shown that blonde women overestimated the percentage of men who would choose blonde hair as their ideal hair color. Among blonde women in their study, 92.9 percent rated blond hair as ideal, with half believing that men would choose so as well. In reality, only 34.8 percent of men said they preferred women with blond hair.[9]
Blondes are often assumed to "have more fun";[12] for example, in a Clairol commercial for hair colorant, they use the phrase "Is it true blondes have more fun?" Some women have reported they feel other people expect them to be more fun-loving after having lightened their hair.[12] In much of the Americas, the blonde stereotype is associated with being less serious or less intelligent.[12] However, an analysis of IQ data carried out by the National Longitudinal Surveys on a survey database of American "baby boomers" (NLSY79 data), the natural blonde women in this population category (excluding African American and Hispanic persons) have a slightly higher mean IQ than brunettes, black and red-haired women.[1][13]
There is a stereotype that blondes are less serious-minded and less intelligent than brunettes, as reflected in "blonde jokes".[14] The root of this notion may be traced to Europe, with the "dumb blonde" in question being a French courtesan named Rosalie Duthé, satirised in a 1775 play Les Curiosités de la Foire for her habit of pausing a long time before speaking, appearing not only stupid but literally dumb (meaning mute).[14] The latter stereotype of "dumb blonde"[15] is exploited in blonde jokes. In Brazil, this extends to blonde women being disparaged, as reflected in sexist jokes, as sexually licentious.[16]
Alfred Hitchcock preferred to cast blonde women for major roles in his films as he believed that the audience would suspect them the least, comparing them to "virgin snow that shows up the bloody footprints", hence the term "Hitchcock blonde".[17] This stereotype became so ingrained that it spawned counter-narratives, such as in the 2001 film Legally Blonde, in which Reese Witherspoon succeeds at Harvard Law School despite biases against her beauty and blonde hair,[12] and terms such as cookie-cutter blonde (CCB), implying standardized blonde looks and standard perceived social and intelligence characteristics of a blonde. Many actors and actresses in Latin America and Hispanic United States have blonde hair and blue eyes and/or pale skin,[18] such as Christina Aguilera and Shakira.
Typology
Annette Kuhn divides blonde stereotypes in cinema into three categories in The Women's Companion to International Film:[19]
- The "ice-cold blonde": Kuhn defined it as "a blonde who hides a fire beneath an exterior of coldness". She provided Grace Kelly as an example. English actress Madeleine Carroll originated the role in Alfred Hitchcock's The 39 Steps (1935), with Kelly among those who would follow her.[20]
- The "blonde bombshell": Kuhn defined it as "a blonde with explosive sexuality and is available to men at a price". She provided Brigitte Bardot, Lana Turner, Jean Harlow, Joan Blondell, Mae West, Barbara Eden, Marilyn Monroe, and Diana Dors as examples.
- The "dumb blonde": Kuhn defined it as "a blonde with an overt and natural sexuality and a profound manifestation of ignorance". She provided Jayne Mansfield, Marion Davies, Alice White, Marie Wilson, and Mamie Van Doren as examples.
In cognitive linguistics, the stereotype uses expressivity of words to affect an emotional response which determines a gender role of a certain kind.[21][22] In feminist critique, stereotypes like the "blonde bombshell" or the "dumb blonde" are seen as negative images that undermine the power of women.[23]
Шаблон:Anchor Blonde bombshell
The blonde bombshell is a gender stereotype that connotes a very attractive woman with blonde hair.[24][25] A review of English language tabloids from the United Kingdom has shown it to be a recurring blonde stereotype, along with "busty blonde" and "blonde babe".[26]
Jean Harlow started the stereotype with her film Bombshell of 1933.[27][28] Following her, Marilyn Monroe, Jayne Mansfield and Mamie Van Doren helped establish the stereotype typified by a combination of curvaceous physique, very light-colored hair and a perceived lack of intelligence.[29] During the 1950s, the blonde bombshell started to replace the Femme fatale as the mainstream media stereotype.[30] Marjorie Rosen, a historian of women in films, says of the two top blonde bombshells of the time that "Mae West, firing off vocal salvos with imperious self-assurance, and Jean Harlow, merchandising her physical allure for the masses, transformed the idea of passive female sexuality into an aggressive statement of fact".[31]
Dumb blonde
The notion of "dumb blonde" has been a topic of academic research reported in scholarly articles and university symposia, which tend to confirm that many people hold to the perception that light-haired women are less intelligent than women with dark hair.[14] It is believed the first recorded "dumb blonde" was an 18th-century blonde French courtesan named Rosalie Duthé whose reputation of being beautiful and dumb, even in the literal sense of not talking much, inspired a play about her called Les Curiosités de la Foire (Paris 1775).[12]
While there is no evidence that suggests that blondes are less intelligent than other people, it has been suggested earlier that the state of being blonde probably creates opportunities that do not require investing in education and training. A possible earlier hypothetical explanation is that attractive women have less pressing incentives to cultivate and demonstrate their intellect to ensure their future, since attractiveness is an asset, or correlatively that intelligent women have less pressing incentives to dye their hair to a presumed attractive color. The purported validity of this explanation is purely hypothetical and has been corroborated earlier by its applicability to a similar pervasiveness of the "dumb athlete" stereotype.[35] At the same time, newer data have shown that natural blondes have the highest IQ among white women, which is already explained by the scientists as possible greater incentive to intellectual activity in the place where the blonde grew up, which directly refutes the earlier suggestion that blondes have less intellectual incentives.[36] The dumb blonde stereotype (and the associated cognitive bias) may have some negative consequences and it can also damage a blonde person's career prospects.[37]
Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1925) by Anita Loos originated as a comic novel and explores the appeal of blonde women. It spawned a musical on Broadway, and two films released in 1928 and 1953. The Encyclopedia of Hair describes Marilyn Monroe's blonde role in the second film as that of "a fragile woman who relied on her looks rather than on intelligence—what some people refer to as 'dumb blonde'.Шаблон:Sfn At the same time, in the film she demonstrates a certain amount of wit regarding her life position expressed in the song[38] "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". Madonna emulated that screen-persona of Monroe in her music video Material Girl.[22]
Many blonde actresses have played stereotypical "dumb blondes", including Monroe (dyed blonde),[39] Judy Holliday,[14] Jayne Mansfield (dyed blonde),[40][14] Carol Wayne and Goldie Hawn. Goldie Hawn is best known as the giggling "dumb blonde", stumbling over her lines, especially when she introduced Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In "News of the Future".[14][12] In the American sitcom Three's Company the blonde girl (originally Chrissy, played by Suzanne Somers, and later Cindy and Terri) is sweet and naïve, while the brunette (Janet, played by Joyce DeWitt) is smart.[14]
Country music star Dolly Parton who recorded a song called "Dumb Blonde", famously said that dumb blonde jokes about her do not offend her because, "I know I am not dumb, and I am not blonde."[41]
Blonde jokes
There is a category of jokes called "blonde jokes" that employs the dumb blonde stereotype.[42] It overlaps at times with other jokes that portray the subject of the joke as promiscuous and/or stupid.[42][43] Some blonde jokes rely on sexual humour to portray or stereotype their subjects as promiscuous.[44] Many of these are rephrased sorority girl or Essex girl jokes,[45] much as other jokes about dumb blondes are based on long-running ethnic jokes. Many of these jokes are mere variants on traditional ethnic jokes or jests about other identifiable groups (such as Italian jokes involving Carabinieri, Sardarji jokes or Pathan jokes). Similar jokes about stereotyped minorities have circulated since the seventeenth century with only the wording and targeted groups changed.[45]
Blonde jokes have been criticized as sexist by several authors, as most blondes in these jokes are female, although male variations also exist.[46] In fact, dumb blonde jokes are overwhelmingly female-specific: according to an extensive search in various publications and on the Internet, about 63% of dumb blonde jokes are directed exclusively at women (compared to less than 5% that directly referenced dumb blond men).[47] Research indicates that because of this, men report being amused by blonde jokes significantly more than women do.[43] The fact that most of these jokes target the invariably dim-witted, and sexually promiscuous, women makes them even more sexist.[44] In the 20th century, a class of meta-jokes about blondes (i.e. jokes about blonde jokes) has emerged. In a typical plot of this type, a blonde complains about the unfairness of the stereotype propagated by blonde jokes, with a punch line actually reinforcing the stereotype.[48]
Blondes versus brunettes
In a 16 November 2011 article titled "Blondes vs. Brunettes: TV Shows with Betty and Veronica-Style Love Triangles", media critic Tucker Cummings cited several TV shows that featured a "classic war between blonde and brunette love interests",[49] including The Office (where lighter haired Pam Beesly competes with brunette Karen Filipelli for the attention of Jim Halpert), Suits (where blonde Jenny Griffith competes with brunette Rachel Zane for the attention of Mike Ross), and Dexter (where blonde Rita Bennent and brunette Lila West compete for the affections of Dexter Morgan, the main character).[49] Typically, she wrote, "... the blonde (is) stable, and typifies the 'girl next door,' while (the) ... brunette, is haughty, and a bit more exotic."[49] In Archie comics, Betty Cooper and Veronica Lodge have been engaged in a mostly friendly competition for over 70 years.[50]
In a 2012 interview with NBC News, Lisa Walker, chair of the sociology department at the University of North Carolina, explained that hair color "absolutely" plays a role in the way people are treated.[51] A Cornell University study showed that blonde waitresses receive larger tips than brunettes, even when controlling for other variables such as age, breast size, height and weight.[52]
The local NBC news affiliate in Charlotte tested Walker's theory by asking a natural blonde to walk around the Charlotte business area, drop a scarf and keep going. The volunteer did it 20 times as a blonde and then 20 times wearing a brunette wig. As a blonde, every time she dropped the scarf a bystander picked it up for her, but when wearing a dark-haired wig, people simply mentioned that the scarf was dropped or ignored it altogether, only occasionally picking the scarf up for her.[51]
A well-publicized 2011 University of Westminster study, however, evaluated how men perceived women who entered a London nightclub as a blonde or a brunette. The study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, used the same woman and had her dye her hair a different color for each visit.[53] After spending some time in the club, she departed and then researchers entered the club and interviewed the men who had engaged her in conversation. The results showed that, as a blonde, she was more likely to be approached for conversation than as a brunette. However, when the researchers interviewed the men who spoke to her, the men rated her more intelligent and attractive as a brunette than as a blonde.[54] Many news organizations covered the story as evidence that blondes were not preferred over brunettes.[55][56]
In a study by Diana J. Kyle and Heike I. M. Mahler (1996), the researchers asked subjects to evaluate photographs of the same woman with "natural" (not dyed) looking brown, red, and blonde hair in the context of a job application for an accounting position.[57] The researchers found that the blonde-haired applicant was rated as significantly less capable than her brunette counterpart. In addition, participants designated the female applicant's starting salary as significantly lower when she was depicted as a blonde than when she was shown with brown hair.[57]
A study that looked at the CEOs of the Financial Times Stock Exchange's (FTSE) top 500 companies investigated how hair color could be a potential barrier to professional success.[47] In another study by Brian Bates, two sets of MBA graduates were given the same Curriculum vitae of the same women split between two sets of attached photos - blonde and brunette. The brunette was considered more for a managerial position and for a higher salary.[58] A 2011 University of Westminster study evaluated how men perceived women who entered a London nightclub as a blonde or a brunette. The study, published in the Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, used the same woman and had her dye her hair a different color for each visit.[59] The results showed that, as a blonde, she was more likely to be approached for conversation than as a brunette. However, when the researchers interviewed the men who spoke to her, the men rated her more intelligent and attractive as a brunette than as a blonde.[60]
A study conducted at the University of Tampa found that male students preferred brunette women over blonde women by 40%.[6]
One theory forwards, as an explanation, the concept of the feminization of blond hair, which can be seen by the overwhelming association of the dumb blond persona with females. This idea draws on the stereotype that females have a lower psychometric intelligence than males.[61]
Counter representation
At the same time, there are many examples where the stereotype is exploited only to combat it.[14] The film Legally Blonde starring Reese Witherspoon featured the stereotype as a centrepiece of its plot. However, the protagonist turns out to be very intelligent and is shown to have been underachieving due to society's low expectations of her.Шаблон:Cn
Singer Dolly Parton, aware of this occasional characterization of her, addressed it in her 1967 hit "Dumb Blonde". Parton's lyrics challenged the stereotype, stating "just because I'm blonde, don't think I'm dumb 'cause this dumb blonde ain't nobody's fool". Parton has said she was not offended by "all the dumb-blonde jokes because I know I'm not dumb. I'm also not blonde."[62]
The author of the comic strip Blondie, Chic Young, starting with "Dumb Dora", gradually transformed the titular character into a smart, hard-working, family-oriented woman.[63][64]
See also
References
Sources
- Encyclopedia of Hair: a Cultural History, by Victoria Sherrow, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006, Шаблон:ISBN
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- ↑ 1,0 1,1 Jay L. Zagorsky, "Are Blondes Really Dumb?", Economics Bulletin 36(1):401-410 · March 2016
- ↑ Ed Sikov, Film Studies: An Introduction, page 134, Columbia University Press, 2009, Шаблон:ISBN
- ↑ Stephanie Ann Smith, Household Words, page 76, University of Minnesota Press, 2006, Шаблон:ISBN
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- ↑ 5,0 5,1 5,2 Wortham, J., Miller, A., & Delvescovo, D. (2018). "Male and female hair color preferences: influences of familiarity, geographic region of origin, and environment on mate attraction in University of Tampa students". Florida Scientist, 81, 33-54.
- ↑ 6,0 6,1 Wortham, J., Miller, A., & Delvescovo, D. (2018). "Male and female hair color preferences: influences of familiarity, geographic region of origin, and environment on mate attraction in University of Tampa students". Florida Scientist, 81, 41-42.
- ↑ 7,0 7,1 Шаблон:Cite book
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- ↑ 9,0 9,1 Cash, T. & Jacobi, L. (2006). "In Pursuit of the Perfect Appearance: Discrepancies Among Self‐Ideal Percepts of Multiple Physical Attributes 1". Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 24(5), 379-396.
- ↑ Hornaday, Ann (4 May 2014) "In Praise of the Dumb Blonde" The Washington Post, page E14. Retrieved 4 May 2014 [1]
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- ↑ 12,0 12,1 12,2 12,3 12,4 12,5 Victoria Sherrow. Encyclopedia of hair: a cultural history. Page 149
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- ↑ 49,0 49,1 49,2 Cummings, Tucker (16 November 2011) "Blondes vs. Brunettes: TV Shows with Betty and Veronica-Style Love Triangles." Yahoo.com Retrieved 6 May 2012. Шаблон:Cite web
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- ↑ 51,0 51,1 Gallagher, Dianne (October 30, 2012). "Blonde vs. Brunette: Does It Determine How You Get Treated?" WCNC, NBC Charlotte, retrieved November 17, 2012 Шаблон:Cite web "Most people would tell you, if asked, that it doesn't matter what your hair color is. What style your hair is in. They would say whatever is best for your face," said Walker. "But from a very young age these stereotypes appear. In cartoons and children's programming, we see the way women are portrayed based on their hair. The associations continue through childhood into adulthood.
- ↑ Lynn, Michael, Ph.D., (2009) "Determinants and Consequences of Female Attractiveness and Sexiness: Realistic Tests with Restaurant Waitresses". Ithaca, New York: Cornell University, School of Hotel Administration.
- ↑ Swami, Verin and Seishin Barrett (August 28, 2011) "British men's hair colour preferences: An assessment of courtship solicitation and stimulus ratings" Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, Volume 52, Issue 6, pages 595-600 [2]
- ↑ Saad, Gad, Ph.D., (February 28, 2012) "Do Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? Blonde women: Approached more frequently but judged more harshly". Psychology Today [3]
- ↑ "Blondes vs. Brunettes: Blondes Lose, Study Says" (January 2, 2012) Fox 4 News, Kansas City, MO. Retrieved December 30, 2012 [4]
- ↑ Elser, Amanda "The Battle of Blondes vs. Brunettes Ensues" beautyhigh.com [5]
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- ↑ Brian Bates, "The new blonde bombshell", The Guardian, 29 July 2001
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- ↑ Saad, Gad, Ph.D., (28 February 2012) "Do Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? Blonde women: Approached more frequently but judged more harshly." Psychology Today [7]
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