Discovering the Way of Challenging Adolescent Gender Stereotypes Through the Film Dangal

Research Article
Open access

Discovering the Way of Challenging Adolescent Gender Stereotypes Through the Film Dangal

Yueqi Wang 1*
  • 1 Shenzhen Senior High School (Group)    
  • *corresponding author freyawang073@gmail.com
LNEP Vol.94
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-80590-111-2
ISBN (Online): 978-1-80590-112-9

Abstract

Currently, teenagers around the globe are all troubled by serious psychological problems. A certain group of teenagers has fallen into certain mental disorders at levels differing among individuals. The teenage years are a period when decisions are made, experiences gained, and self-understanding become very essential, so these years are frequently referred to as a critical or sensitive stage in one's life. What happens during this period is that the young people are not only growing rapidly physically, but also, typical of the age groups, developing their belief systems. Therefore, they are very easily disturbed and emotionally turbulent from the outside. In today’s society, gender stereotypes can have a significant impact on adolescents’ mental and behavioral health during their self-discovery and identity formation. This essay, based on a review of literature and film analysis, highlights methods to overcome adolescent gender stereotypes. This explores the role model, social influences, and self-confidence through the movie Dangal and supporting research. The paper finds that while these elements can challenge gender stereotypes, their effectiveness depends on factors like role-model relatability, social environment, and the balance of self-confidence. This research intends to help parents, educators, and policymakers intervene effectively, thereby overcoming adolescent gender stereotypes and fostering an environment conducive to gender equality.

Keywords:

Gender stereotypes, Adolescents, Role models, Social factors, Self-confidence

Wang,Y. (2025). Discovering the Way of Challenging Adolescent Gender Stereotypes Through the Film Dangal. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,94,50-55.
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References

[1]. World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, October 10). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

[2]. Bem, S. L. (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological Review, 88(4), 354–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.88.4.354

[3]. Taylor, S. E., Fiske, S. T., Etcoff, N. L., & Ruderman, A. J. (1978). Categorical and contextual bases of person memory and stereotyping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(7), 778–793. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.36.7.778

[4]. Dangal (2016). Nitesh Tiwari. India.

[5]. Dasgupta, N.& Asgari, S. (2004). Seeing is believing: Exposure to counterstereotypic women leaders and its effect on the malleability of automatic gender stereotyping. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40(5), 642–658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2004.02.003

[6]. González-Pérez, S., De Cabo, R. M., & Sáinz, M. (2020). Girls in STEM: Is it a female Role-Model thing? Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02204

[7]. Carson, A. (2022b, March 31). Alyssa Carson, youngest astronaut in training, wants to make space for women in STEM. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/women-stem-alyssa-carson

[8]. Betz, D. E. & Sekaquaptewa, D. (2012). My fair physicist? Feminine math and science role models demotivate young girls. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3(6), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550612440735

[9]. Betz, D. E. & Sekaquaptewa, D. (2012). My fair physicist? Feminine math and science role models demotivate young girls. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3(6), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550612440735

[10]. McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Tucker, C. J. (1999). Family Context and gender role Socialization in middle childhood: comparing girls to boys and sisters to brothers. Child Development, 70(4), 990–1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00072

[11]. McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Whiteman, S. D. (2003). The family contexts of gender development in childhood and adolescence. Social Development, 12(1), 125–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00225

[12]. Bandura, A. & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1, pp. 141-154). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice hall.

[13]. Ruyin Chen. (2022). Eliminating gender stereotypes and gender discrimination: Observation of the interaction between etiquette, daily concepts and campus. Journal of General Education.(09), 57-74. DOI:10.7052/JGE.202212_(9).0003

[14]. Ye Liang. (2022). Research progress and intervention of children’s gender role flexibility. Advances in Psychology, 12(03), 748–754. https://doi.org/10.12677/ap.2022.123088

[15]. Jouini, E., Karehnke, P., & Napp, C. (2018). Stereotypes, underconfidence and decision-making with an application to gender and math. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 148, 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.02.002

[16]. Dunlosky, J., & Rawson, K. A. (2011). Overconfidence produces underachievement: Inaccurate self evaluations undermine students’ learning and retention. Learning and Instruction, 22(4), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.003

[17]. Morgenroth, T., Ryan, M. K., & Peters, K. (2015). The Motivational Theory of Role Modeling: How role models influence role aspirants’ goals. Review of General Psychology, 19(4), 465–483. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000059

[18]. Alan, S., Ertac, S., & Mumcu, I. (2018). Gender stereotypes in the classroom and effects on achievement. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 100(5), 876–890. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_00756

[19]. Ward, L. M., & Grower, P. (2020). Media and the development of gender role stereotypes. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 177–199. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-051120-010630

Cite this article

Wang,Y. (2025). Discovering the Way of Challenging Adolescent Gender Stereotypes Through the Film Dangal. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,94,50-55.

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Volume title: Proceedings of ICEIPI 2025 Symposium: AI Am Ready: Artificial Intelligence as Pedagogical Scaffold

ISBN：978-1-80590-111-2(Print) / 978-1-80590-112-9(Online)
Editor：Kurt Buhring, Gregg S. Lloren
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Conference date: 23 July 2025
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.94
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. World Health Organization: WHO. (2024, October 10). Mental health of adolescents. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/adolescent-mental-health

[2]. Bem, S. L. (1981). Gender schema theory: A cognitive account of sex typing. Psychological Review, 88(4), 354–364. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295x.88.4.354

[3]. Taylor, S. E., Fiske, S. T., Etcoff, N. L., & Ruderman, A. J. (1978). Categorical and contextual bases of person memory and stereotyping. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 36(7), 778–793. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.36.7.778

[4]. Dangal (2016). Nitesh Tiwari. India.

[5]. Dasgupta, N.& Asgari, S. (2004). Seeing is believing: Exposure to counterstereotypic women leaders and its effect on the malleability of automatic gender stereotyping. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 40(5), 642–658. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jesp.2004.02.003

[6]. González-Pérez, S., De Cabo, R. M., & Sáinz, M. (2020). Girls in STEM: Is it a female Role-Model thing? Frontiers in Psychology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.02204

[7]. Carson, A. (2022b, March 31). Alyssa Carson, youngest astronaut in training, wants to make space for women in STEM. Teen Vogue. https://www.teenvogue.com/story/women-stem-alyssa-carson

[8]. Betz, D. E. & Sekaquaptewa, D. (2012). My fair physicist? Feminine math and science role models demotivate young girls. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3(6), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550612440735

[9]. Betz, D. E. & Sekaquaptewa, D. (2012). My fair physicist? Feminine math and science role models demotivate young girls. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 3(6), 738–746. https://doi.org/10.1177/1948550612440735

[10]. McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Tucker, C. J. (1999). Family Context and gender role Socialization in middle childhood: comparing girls to boys and sisters to brothers. Child Development, 70(4), 990–1004. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8624.00072

[11]. McHale, S. M., Crouter, A. C., & Whiteman, S. D. (2003). The family contexts of gender development in childhood and adolescence. Social Development, 12(1), 125–148. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9507.00225

[12]. Bandura, A. & Walters, R. H. (1977). Social learning theory (Vol. 1, pp. 141-154). Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice hall.

[13]. Ruyin Chen. (2022). Eliminating gender stereotypes and gender discrimination: Observation of the interaction between etiquette, daily concepts and campus. Journal of General Education.(09), 57-74. DOI:10.7052/JGE.202212_(9).0003

[14]. Ye Liang. (2022). Research progress and intervention of children’s gender role flexibility. Advances in Psychology, 12(03), 748–754. https://doi.org/10.12677/ap.2022.123088

[15]. Jouini, E., Karehnke, P., & Napp, C. (2018). Stereotypes, underconfidence and decision-making with an application to gender and math. Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, 148, 34–45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jebo.2018.02.002

[16]. Dunlosky, J., & Rawson, K. A. (2011). Overconfidence produces underachievement: Inaccurate self evaluations undermine students’ learning and retention. Learning and Instruction, 22(4), 271–280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2011.08.003

[17]. Morgenroth, T., Ryan, M. K., & Peters, K. (2015). The Motivational Theory of Role Modeling: How role models influence role aspirants’ goals. Review of General Psychology, 19(4), 465–483. https://doi.org/10.1037/gpr0000059

[18]. Alan, S., Ertac, S., & Mumcu, I. (2018). Gender stereotypes in the classroom and effects on achievement. The Review of Economics and Statistics, 100(5), 876–890. https://doi.org/10.1162/rest_a_00756

[19]. Ward, L. M., & Grower, P. (2020). Media and the development of gender role stereotypes. Annual Review of Developmental Psychology, 2(1), 177–199. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-devpsych-051120-010630

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