Minifigs, facial expressions and child development

After mosques on Tatooine, the Friends range accused of reductive sexism by some feminist activist groups, here is a study that tries to show that the aggressive faces of certain minifigs can influence the development of our children.

LEGO is no exception in the field of recurring attacks: Apple, Sony, TF1, Microsoft and other large groups with a virtual monopoly in their respective markets are regularly the subject of more or less serious attacks.

This time, it is researchers from New Zealand who are trying to prove that the proliferation of faces with facial expressions oriented towards anger and aggression influence the way children play.

And LEGO is obviously in direct line of sight with these recent productions in which abound the superheroes frowning, the threatening pirates, the frightened bandits or the bloodthirsty skeletons.

The researchers in question argue that children playing with these nervous or frightened minifigs suffer a significant intellectual and emotional impact and that this can directly influence their development.  

These same researchers also find that LEGO themes are increasingly centered on the conflict between good and evil, but that the characters who are supposed to belong to the "good" faction of this conflict are also often decked out with faces which do not necessarily reflect their positivity.

This is not a first in the world of toys: For example, several studies have shown the negative impact of anorexic Barbie dolls on the perception of their own body by growing girls.

In short, you will understand, this is once again a study that we will not talk about much on the sites of fans of LEGO, where it will certainly, perhaps a little quickly, considered as wacky and unnecessary.

On the parents' side, the thing will no doubt be taken a little more seriously. There are many who refuse to let their children play with plastic replica guns or games featuring armed conflict, and these same parents will be able to form their own opinion on the evolution of minifig faces over the years. time towards ever more realistic and varied expressions.

You can read the content of this study presented in the document below in PDF format: Agents With Faces - What Can We Learn From LEGO Mini fi gures?.