Lack of Sex-Role Differentiation in Preschoolers' Figure Drawings

Summary

The purpose of this study was to determine the validity of preschoolers' figure drawings as measures of sex-role identity. Sex-role identity scores, which served as an external criterion, were obtained for the children from teachers' judgments of masculinity and femininity. Chi square analyses indicated that identity scores were not related to reported sex of the figures drawn. In addition, only 15% of the figures were rated to be differentiated as to sex.