How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People

The aim of the research is to investigate children’s ideas about outstanding people (geniuses). Three research questions were posed to 38 children aged 8–9 years: How do children imagine a genius? What gender do they identify with a genius? and What are the emotions of the genius they imagine? The...

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Main Authors: Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba, Alicja Baum
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Ignatianum University Press 2022-12-01
Series:Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://czasopisma.ignatianum.edu.pl/jpe/article/view/2215
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author Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba
Alicja Baum
author_facet Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba
Alicja Baum
author_sort Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba
collection DOAJ
description The aim of the research is to investigate children’s ideas about outstanding people (geniuses). Three research questions were posed to 38 children aged 8–9 years: How do children imagine a genius? What gender do they identify with a genius? and What are the emotions of the genius they imagine? The research used the projection method, in which the children were asked to draw a genius and to add a description to the drawing. Qualitative analysis was conducted on the results; the codes and categories appearing in the drawings and descriptions were identified. The research showed that children envision geniuses as both men and women (women although less frequently); in one case, it was said that a genius is everyone. Most often they were seen as scientists, but athletes, historical figures, characters from fairy tale or advertisements, or ordinary real people were described as well. The characters drawn by the children were mostly positive: attractive, elegant, and active. Only a few features testified to negative emotions accompanying the idea of a genius: being ridiculed, helpless, or disliked. The children’s conceptions of geniuses indicated that they are people (not traits) who stand out from others with their actions, appearance, and achievements and are more likely to be a man. These findings require further investigation, particularly in the context of creating labels and stereotypes about above-average people and the outstanding capabilities of women and men.
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spelling doaj.art-3a16291c416d4614bdc2abecd4dd051c2022-12-28T13:58:58ZengIgnatianum University PressMultidisciplinary Journal of School Education2543-75852543-84092022-12-01112 (22)10.35765/mjse.2022.1122.02How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding PeopleJoanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba0Alicja Baum1Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw (APS)Maria Grzegorzewska University in Warsaw (APS) The aim of the research is to investigate children’s ideas about outstanding people (geniuses). Three research questions were posed to 38 children aged 8–9 years: How do children imagine a genius? What gender do they identify with a genius? and What are the emotions of the genius they imagine? The research used the projection method, in which the children were asked to draw a genius and to add a description to the drawing. Qualitative analysis was conducted on the results; the codes and categories appearing in the drawings and descriptions were identified. The research showed that children envision geniuses as both men and women (women although less frequently); in one case, it was said that a genius is everyone. Most often they were seen as scientists, but athletes, historical figures, characters from fairy tale or advertisements, or ordinary real people were described as well. The characters drawn by the children were mostly positive: attractive, elegant, and active. Only a few features testified to negative emotions accompanying the idea of a genius: being ridiculed, helpless, or disliked. The children’s conceptions of geniuses indicated that they are people (not traits) who stand out from others with their actions, appearance, and achievements and are more likely to be a man. These findings require further investigation, particularly in the context of creating labels and stereotypes about above-average people and the outstanding capabilities of women and men. https://czasopisma.ignatianum.edu.pl/jpe/article/view/2215childhood imaginationsgeniusoutstanding peopleprojection method
spellingShingle Joanna Łukasiewicz-Wieleba
Alicja Baum
How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
Multidisciplinary Journal of School Education
childhood imaginations
genius
outstanding people
projection method
title How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
title_full How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
title_fullStr How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
title_full_unstemmed How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
title_short How Do You Picture a Genius? Children’s Images of Outstanding People
title_sort how do you picture a genius children s images of outstanding people
topic childhood imaginations
genius
outstanding people
projection method
url https://czasopisma.ignatianum.edu.pl/jpe/article/view/2215
work_keys_str_mv AT joannałukasiewiczwieleba howdoyoupictureageniuschildrensimagesofoutstandingpeople
AT alicjabaum howdoyoupictureageniuschildrensimagesofoutstandingpeople