Sex differences in children’s free drawings and their relationship to 2D:4D ratio

Abstract

The hypothesis that prenatal androgen exposure influences sex differences in children’s drawings was examined in a population of K-3 elementary school students. Various characteristics of children’s free drawings were assessed by age, and those that showed sex differences were compared with 2D:4D. Overall, boys had smaller 2D:4D ratios on the right hand, used a smaller proportion of warm colors relative to cold colors, covered less of the paper, used fewer pinks, purples, and yellows, and used more black/gray. Girls’ drawings were more likely to contain flowers, animals, and sky and boys’ drawings were more likely to contain people. When analyzed by grade level (K and 1st vs. 2nd and 3rd), sex differences in the number of colors, proportion of warm colors, and number of pinks and purples used were present only in the older children, suggesting a social influence on these sex differences. On the other hand, there were significant correlations in the older girls between right 2D:4D ratio and the use of pinks and purples. These observations support the role of social factors in the development of sex differences in children’s free drawings, but also suggest an influence of early androgen levels on girls’ free drawings.