Monochrome Males and Colorful Females

Influences of educational level and gender were examined through free drawings. A total of 216 participants were recruited ranging from nursery school to university students. Using an adaptation of Turgeon’s methodology, participants were given a standardized set of colored pens and asked to draw a...

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Main Authors: Lynn Wright, Fiona Black
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2013-10-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013509254
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author Lynn Wright
Fiona Black
author_facet Lynn Wright
Fiona Black
author_sort Lynn Wright
collection DOAJ
description Influences of educational level and gender were examined through free drawings. A total of 216 participants were recruited ranging from nursery school to university students. Using an adaptation of Turgeon’s methodology, participants were given a standardized set of colored pens and asked to draw a picture. Pictures were analyzed for the area of the page covered, colors used, number of colors used, and content. Overall, females covered more of the page, and used more colors than males. Females drew significantly more sky, flowers/trees and buildings (in most cases houses), and males drew more people and vehicles. In relation to educational level, nursery children used fewer colors than the other groups and secondary school children used more colors than primary school children. It was concluded that gender differences in content, and color, of drawings exist and these differences remain stable into adulthood. Results are discussed in terms of social and evolutionary theory.
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spelling doaj.art-e0a0fb9970e64eed968a7e1a3f3e6cff2022-12-22T01:56:05ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402013-10-01310.1177/215824401350925410.1177_2158244013509254Monochrome Males and Colorful FemalesLynn Wright0Fiona Black1University of Abertay, Dundee, UKUniversity of Abertay, Dundee, UKInfluences of educational level and gender were examined through free drawings. A total of 216 participants were recruited ranging from nursery school to university students. Using an adaptation of Turgeon’s methodology, participants were given a standardized set of colored pens and asked to draw a picture. Pictures were analyzed for the area of the page covered, colors used, number of colors used, and content. Overall, females covered more of the page, and used more colors than males. Females drew significantly more sky, flowers/trees and buildings (in most cases houses), and males drew more people and vehicles. In relation to educational level, nursery children used fewer colors than the other groups and secondary school children used more colors than primary school children. It was concluded that gender differences in content, and color, of drawings exist and these differences remain stable into adulthood. Results are discussed in terms of social and evolutionary theory.https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013509254
spellingShingle Lynn Wright
Fiona Black
Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
SAGE Open
title Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
title_full Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
title_fullStr Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
title_full_unstemmed Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
title_short Monochrome Males and Colorful Females
title_sort monochrome males and colorful females
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013509254
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