Why Do Little Girls Pick Certain Dolls for Christmas?

Most articles about dolls in the mainstream media focus on trends (Bratz, Flavas) and business aspects of dolls (prices at Wal-Mart vs. Toys R Us). But, a gem of an article in the Topeka Capital Journal, Whole new crew joining Barbie discusses deeper aspects of why little girls choose certain dolls over others.

In this article, Dr. Patricia Farrell, a psychologist based in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., says the choice of a doll "will tell you what the little girl's aspirations are, how she is being pushed by her family." I think that's very interesting, given that I've often said that its really the parents in a family that guide a child towards one doll over another. See what you think!