This study explores the phenomenon of pediophobia and popular
character toys of the present day. Pediophobia, or, the fear of dolls,
is a common reaction when discussing character toys with adults. By
turning to a combination of various research materials concerned with
popular toys, their characteristics, and the audiences who dislike and
dismiss them such as previous research papers, media texts and
interviews with adult toy players, my aim is to locate the joint
phenomenon of the disliked ‘dollies’ and pediophobia in popular culture,
the currently communicated reasons for it, and the strategies for
avoiding encounters with the ‘dislikeys’.