Some Methodological Issues with “Draw a Scientist Tests” among Young Children

Abstract

Children's stereotypes about scientists have been postulated to affect student science identity and interest in science. Findings from prior studies using "Draw a Scientist Test" methods suggest that students see scientists as largely white, often unattractive, men; one consequence may be that girls and minority students feel a science career is "not like me". However, a major shortcoming in prior research is that scholars have asked children to draw only scientists, thus making interpretations of earlier research findings ambiguous. We added other professionals to compare how 616 drawings of teachers, scientists, and veterinarians by 206 elementary school children varied by student gender, ethnicity, and grade. Students made clear distinctions: drawing teachers as most attractive and largely female, and scientists as most often male and least attractive. Aspects of the drawings suggest that scientists do have an "image problem" among children. However, large sex differences in the drawings and often-unrecognizable gender figures in boys' pictures lead us to question use of the "Draw a Scientist Test" as a projective test among young children.

Ortaokul 5. ve 7. Sınıf Öğrencilerinin Mühendisler ve Bilim İnsanlarına Yönelik Algılarının Karşılaştırmalı Olarak İncelenmesi

“…In addition scientists are perceived as "male". There are researches in the literature indicating that engineers (Capobianco et al, 2011;Fralick et al, 2009;Ganesh, 2011;Koyunlu Unlu and Dokme, 2016;Park and Lee, 2014) and scientists (Barman et al, 1997;Bilen et al, 2014;Camcı Erdogan, 2013;Chambers, 1983;Fort and Varney, 1989;Fralick et al, 2009;Gonsoulin, 2001;Huang, Shih, Chen and Liu, 2015;Kara and Akarsu, 2013;Kaya et al, 2008;Kucuk and Bag, 2012;Losh, Wilke and Pop, 2008;McCann and Marek, 2016;Nuhoglu and Afacan, 2011;Ocal, 2007;Ozel, 2012;Ozel and Dogan, 2013;Ozgelen, 2012;Ozsoy andAhi, 2014, Turgut et al, 2017;Turkmen, 2008;Yontar Togrol, 2000;Yontar Togrol, 2013) are perceived as "male". Especially, as the class level of the girl students increases, female engineer and female scientist perception has decreased.…”

Elementary Students' Perceived Images of Engineers

“…Children's drawing has been used as one of the most important means to investigate the perceptions and understandings of their inner worlds (Farver et al, 2000;Losh et al, 2008). Drawing is a comfortable and age-appropriate language for children.…”

“…The Draw-a-Scientist-Test (DAST) has been well known tool to measure student perceptions of scientists and science, and has been valued as a valid and reliable tool for assessing students' perceptions of science and scientists (Chambers, 1983;Chiang and Guo, 1996;Finson, 2002;Finson et al, 1995;Losh et al, 2008;Newton and Newton, 1992;Newton and Newton, 1998;Song and Kim, 1999;Thompson and Lyons, 2008).…”

“…Research has showed that the perceptions children hold about STEM impact their learning and future career decision (Buldu, 2006;Knight and Cunningham, 2004;Losh et al, 2008;Newton and Newton 1998;Oware, 2008;Thompson and Lyons, 2008). Looking at the research on images of scientists, the images of scientists that students hold are formed at very early years of elementary school; moreover, those images remain stable through high school and college (Jung et al, 2012;Lyons and Thompson, 2006;Newton, 1992, 1998;Rahm and Charbonneau, 1997).…”

Students’ Images of Scientists and Doing Science: An International Comparison Study

“…They suggested that children be asked to add sentences or annotate their drawings to improve interpretation of the drawing. According to Losh, Wilke and Pop (2008), a major shortcoming of DAST is in asking children to draw 'only scientists.' They postulate that it is unlikely that children view scientists as different from other professionals especially in the absence of comparison across occupations.…”