Drawing a scientist: using the Emo-DAST to explore emotional aspects of children’s images of scientists

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background There is a long research tradition on students’ images of scientists based on their drawings. However, the dimension of scientists’ emotions, as a critical aspect of these images has not been thoroughly investigated. Purpose The present study aims to investigate scientists’ emotions as depicted in children’s drawings to shed light on less explored aspects of the complex construct of the image of scientists. Sample 245 boys and girls divided into three age groups with a mean age of 5, 8, and 11 years, participated in the study. Design and methods In this cross-sectional design, participants were first asked to draw a scientist experiencing an emotion and to produce a control drawing (a person feeling nothing) and then to describe their drawing of the scientist, to label and to justify the depicted emotion. The drawings of the scientists were rated against their controls to identify the graphic cues employed to denote the depicted emotions. Results Data analysis showed that children in all age groups mainly attributed positive emotions to scientists, which they primarily associated with scientists’ self-efficacy. The vast majority of children altered the scientist’s facial expression to denote the intended emotion, while other types of cues were less frequently used. Justifications of the emotions attributed to scientists varied as a function of age, indicating that as they get older children seem to acquire a broader and more sophisticated image of scientists’ emotions. Conclusion By shifting the focus on drawing the emotions prompted by scientific work, this study provides a novel, complementary perspective to the kaleidoscopic construct of students’ image of scientists.