Fairy Tales Thesis

UNIVERSITY OF BOLTON

Proposal for PhD Thesis

Area of Study: Psychology

Proposed Title:

Once upon a time...An association of fairy tales, parental feeding practices and the development of healthy eating habits among children aged 2-4 years old in Greece

Koutsompou Violetta-Eirini

Purpose Statement

Eating is one of the fundamental human needs throughout one’s life; and, as a result, it has a vital effect on people’s health. As Brown and Ogden (2004) argue, dietary habits gained in childhood persist through adulthood. Nowadays, children’s eating behaviours have changed drastically and turned into a predicament both for the parents and, at times, the children themselves. Children usually do not pay attention

In his psychoanalytical approach to myths, Bettelheim (1989) argues that nothing provides greater wealth to children as traditional children's literature. To support his view, he argues that traditional children's literature help children learn about human progress and possible problem solving. This is because myths undoubtedly and briefly involve some problems that the child can understand. In addition, myths involve a moral behavior of heroes (Von Franz, 1996). Thus, children can learn that it is inevitable for one to fight against the difficulties of life and that these can be overcome. Traditional children's literature also includes characters that are good and bad. Simple and good characters allow the child to identify with the good and reject the bad (Eliade, 1991). The child sympathizes with the deserving characters, "participates" in his fights, learning that while he/she may encounter difficulties or be rejected by someone, he/she would be helped and guided when needed (Von Franz, 1996). Traditional children's literature, tales in particular, which are rapidly developed and include a dramatic plot and an easy identification with the good character, belongs to the type of literature that "speaks" more to listeners or readers and gives pleasure (Zipes, 1997). They believe that the

According to the psychoanalytic approach, the thematic areas, which most fairy tales deal with by using a symbolic language and transfer are the following (Bettelheim, 1995):

− Fear of being abandoned by