Rigorous Quantitative Approach Research Articles

Improving rigor and reproducibility in western blot experiments with the blotRig analysis

Western blot is a popular biomolecular analysis method for measuring the relative quantities of independent proteins in complex biological samples. However, variability in quantitative western blot data analysis poses a challenge in designing reproducible experiments. The lack of rigorous quantitative approaches in current western blot statistical methodology may result in irreproducible inferences. Here we describe best practices for the design and analysis of western blot experiments, with examples and demonstrations of how different analytical approaches can lead to widely varying outcomes. To facilitate best practices, we have developed the blotRig tool for designing and analyzing western blot experiments to improve their rigor and reproducibility. The blotRig application includes functions for counterbalancing experimental design by lane position, batch management across gels, and analytics with covariates and random effects.

The Effects of Ocean Governance on Marine Economic Development from an Environmental Optimization Perspective

The oceans and seas are vital resources for human life and fundamental to global economic growth. With the expansion of globalization and increasing demand for resource exploitation, the ocean economy has emerged as a critical support for economic growth and a significant concern for many. However, the exploitation of marine resources often leads to ecological damage and environmental pollution, seriously threatening the long-term viability of the marine economy. Measures must be implemented to balance ecological protection and economic development for sustainable growth in the marine sector. This investigation synthesizes over a decade’s worth of data from various coastal cities, incorporating insights from national databases, international reports, and scholarly articles, resulting in an analysis of more than 500 data points. Through the application of a rigorous quantitative approach and a dual fixed-effect model, the study delves into the dynamics between ocean governance and economic development. By analyzing a broad and representative dataset, the research provides an exhaustive overview of global ocean governance frameworks and the current state of the marine economy. The statistical analyses unveil the complexity and diversity of factors influencing the development and governance of marine economies. This paper explores the interplay between marine economic development and ocean governance, evaluating the impact of governance on marine economic progression within the context of environmental optimization. Furthermore, it proposes policy interventions aimed at fostering the sustainable growth of marine economies, ensuring the conservation of marine ecosystems, and pursuing overarching long-term global growth ambitions.

A valuation of football companies between tangible and intangible values: A preliminary study

This study delves into the dynamic world Football Club Valuations, an area rich in economic and cultural significance. It addresses the complex issue of which factors most profoundly influence the enterprise value of a football club. Central to the hypothesis is the notion that a club's infrastructural investments, player salaries, and on-field successes are determining factors in its financial value. To test this, and the other hypotheses of the study, the research employs a rigorous quantitative approach, utilizing multiple linear regression analysis, to investigate the factors influencing the enterprise value of European football clubs. Examining data from 28 prominent clubs between 2018 and 2023, our research focuses on infrastructural investments, player salaries, team value, and on-field performance. The results of this study are revealing, demonstrating a clear correlation between the hypothesized factors and club valuations, with infrastructural investments and player salaries emerging as key determinants of club valuation. The integration of a polynomial transformation for team value captures its complex, non-linear relationship with enterprise value. The model provides nuanced insights for football club stakeholders and managements. What distinguishes this work is its pioneering integration of financial acumen with a deep understanding of the unique cultural and economic landscape of football and reveals, how the dynamics of investment in infrastructure and player salaries, along with success in international competitions, significantly and complexly influence the corporate value in the football sector, offering a new framework for analyzing enterprise value in football.

Tailoring gamification to individual learners: A study on personalization variables for skill enhancement

This study conducts a quantitative inquiry into how components of gamification and customization are being used in Saudi Arabia's educational system. In our investigation, we zero in on how these factors could contribute to skill development. This investigation uses a thorough and rigorous quantitative research approach to probe students' preferences for gamification components and their thoughts on customization. The findings highlight the amazing congruence between people's preference for gamification components like points and badges and the need for adaptation and feedback in optimizing the effectiveness of the educational process. Through careful component analysis, the current investigation successfully separates two distinct constructs: one highlights the importance of flexibility and responsiveness, while the other emphasizes the significance of pace and cultural appropriateness. The results of this research have important policy and practice implications for Saudi Arabia, where educational reforms are now underway. The goal of these changes is to boost academic performance by introducing student-specific, interactive gaming into the classroom.

Towards The Intangible Cultural Heritage Marketing: Factors Affecting Consumption Intention Of Ramie-Fabric Products

In the context of sustainable consumption and the preservation of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), this study provides a nuanced exploration of consumer intentions towards ramie fabric products, a symbol of traditional Chinese craftsmanship. This study aims to elucidate the complex factors that influence consumer engagement with ramie fabric, highlighting its environmental and cultural importance. Adopting a rigorous quantitative approach, this study analyzes 638 valid responses from an initial distribution of 800 questionnaires. A multi-faceted analysis approach is utilized, encompassing descriptive statistics, Exploratory Factor Analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) coupled with path analysis. Key findings reveal that functional value, social value, emotional value, epistemic value, conditional value, social identity, and attitude significantly sway consumer intentions. Crucially, this study reveals the mediating role of attitude and social identity, illustrating how these constructs bridge the gap between the intrinsic values associated with ramie fabric and the ultimate consumption intentions. Theoretically, this study enriches the discourse on ICH and sustainable consumer behavior, offering nuanced insights into the consumer dynamics surrounding ramie fabric products. Practically, it underscores the imperative of embedding cultural and environmental considerations in marketing strategies to enhance consumer engagement. Furthermore, by advocating for a synergistic approach among consumers, cultural inheritors, and the marketplace, this study delineates actionable pathways for leveraging ramie fabric's unique allure in championing sustainability and cultural heritage conservation.

The Effect of Upstream Unsteadiness on the Unstarting of a Supersonic Inlet Turbine

Abstract A 15% increase in thermal efficiency at medium pressure ratios is promised by rotating detonation engine technology over conventional Joule–Bryton cycles. A supersonic inlet turbine is a viable option to extract substantial work from the highly fluctuating and supersonic flow delivered by the detonating combustor. However, an additional unstarting mechanism based on the generation of a collective shock from the coalescence of leading-edge bow-shock waves further restricts the available design space. First, the effect of unsteady inlet conditions with variable frequency, amplitude, and mean value on collective shock generation is investigated. Then, a fast and cost-effective tool was developed and verified to predict bow-shock wave motion from a prescribed inlet Mach trend; the parameters of the transfer function were estimated with a classical identification method based on a step-response computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. The model was employed to rapidly calculate the maximum amplitude of fluctuations accepted by the supersonic blade row for each frequency and average inlet Mach number. Finally, the influence of the inlet geometric angle, pitch to leading-edge thickness ratio, and static temperature on the model parameters is studied. The preliminary observations of the parametric analysis were confirmed by the rigorous quantitative approach of a global sensitivity analysis based on Sobol sensitivity indices.

An Examination of Business Performance: The Relationship and Its Relevance Factors

Within the purview of influencing factors, due consideration is given to the adoption of technology and the role played by external assistance. Moreover, this study underscores the crucial function of business continuity as a mediating factor in this intricate equation and the moderating influence of employee creativity. The primary objective of this research is to delve into the multifaceted elements that exert influence on the overall success of small and medium businesses (SMEs). Employing a rigorous quantitative research approach, a carefully selected cohort of 109 respondents was drawn from the SME community. These respondents were sourced from the membership pool of a financial counseling group affiliated with PT. TASPEN (PERSERO), providing a comprehensive cross-section of perspectives and experiences. The insightful findings derived from this study corroborate the hypothesis that external assistance can indeed have a constructive impact on company performance. However, this influence is found to be channeled through the mediating role of SME business continuity, thus underscoring the importance of maintaining operational resilience and consistency. The research did not find conclusive evidence supporting a direct link between technological adoption and business success within the SME context, indicating that further investigation might be warranted to elucidate this relationship. Nonetheless, these findings provide valuable insights into the intricate web of factors influencing SME success and offer pertinent guidance for businesses aiming to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

The Influence of Parenting Styles and Managerial Elements on School Readiness in Kindergarten-Aged Children within a Community

Humanity's phase-to-phase development necessitates adept management, crucial for community growth. Employing a quantitative research approach, this study investigates how familial managerial elements impact children's early school readiness. It scrutinizes two aspects: the influence of variables on parenting style within families and parenting style's impact on school readiness. Key variables include parents’ managerial perception, family socioeconomic status, and family involvement in kindergarten programs. Quantitative methods, encompassing statistical tests and SPSS analysis, meticulously explore the relationships and influences among these variables, unveiling significant effects. Importantly, parental managerial perception positively affects parenting style, socioeconomic status, and family involvement in kindergarten programs, quantitatively highlighting managerial elements' impact on child development. Furthermore, a management-focused parenting style demonstrates a direct and positive quantitative influence on children's school readiness. These findings underscore the significance of considering managerial aspects in families as pivotal contributors to children's educational outcomes. This rigorous quantitative approach enriches our comprehension of these influences and informs policies and interventions, enhancing school readiness and community development.

Purchasing Decisions in the Food Service Industry: Factors of Influence

This study aimed to investigate the impact of location, food quality, service quality, and price on purchasing decisions in the food service industry. A total of 96 respondents from customers of a specific food establishment were included in the sample. Quantitative methods were employed, and data were collected through questionnaires. The analysis involved validity and reliability tests, as well as tests for normality, multicollinearity, heteroscedasticity, linearity, and autocorrelation. Multiple linear regression analysis, T tests, and multiple correlation coefficient (R) were conducted, along with the determination coefficient (R2). The findings demonstrated that location, food quality, service quality, and price significantly influenced purchasing decisions at the examined food establishment. The implications of this research contribute to a deeper understanding of consumer behavior in the food service industry, enabling practitioners to enhance their strategies and improve customer satisfaction. 
 Highlights: 
 
 Quantitative study: This research utilizes a rigorous quantitative approach to examine the factors influencing purchasing decisions in the food service industry, providing robust empirical evidence.
 Influential factors: The study identifies and analyzes various factors, such as location, food quality, service quality, and price, that significantly impact customers' purchasing decisions in the food service industry.
 Customer satisfaction: Understanding the influential factors can help food service establishments improve their strategies, enhance customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive business success.
 
 Keywords: Purchasing decisions, Food service industry, Influential factors, Quantitative study, Customer satisfaction

Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis as a Mixed-Method and Analysis Technique: A Comprehensive Systematic Review

The review aims to explore fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) as a bridge between the qualitative and quantitative paradigm divide in tourism, leisure, and hospitality management studies and explain why and how field scholars employ it. A comprehensive systematic review of complete and original articles from 31 top-tier tourism, leisure, and hospitality journals was conducted on the basis of the PRISMA framework. Since its inception in the field, fsQCA has been employed as a mixed method and analysis technique for theory development, testing, and data analysis. Its application in the field has grown because it acts as a back up in addressing complex sets through rigorous qualitative and quantitative approaches. Complexity, fuzzy set, planned behavior, chaos, and motivation are the leading theories consistently used; behavior, intention, motivation, performance, attitude, satisfaction, crisis, and experience are the complex research themes in the field that most frequently employ fsQCA.

A Syntactical Spatio-Functional Analysis of Four Typical Historic Chinese Towns from a Heritage Tourism Perspective

This study presents a quantitative approach to exploring the spatio-functional characteristics of historic Chinese towns (HCTs) from a heritage tourism perspective. In recent years, HCTs have evolved from being resident-oriented to being more tourist-oriented, in part due to their heritage significance for attracting tourists. Spatio-functional qualities of a historic town are essential elements of the town’s urban morphology and of great concern for preservation. Previous studies that discussed this issue often used qualitative descriptions, and only limited studies have systematically explored the spatio-functional qualities of HCTs. Thus, there is presently a lack of understanding around this issue, especially based on rigorous quantitative approaches. This study examines the spatio-functional qualities of HCTs using space syntax, a commonly used method in urban studies that enables measurement of spatial characteristics through mathematical means. Four HCTs with heritage significance, Pingyao, Lijiang, Kulangsu, and Wuzhen, were selected as case studies. The study has examined the role of heritage tourism and the results show that tourist-focused functions tend to distribute and aggregate in the urban core of HCTs. By contrast, cultural relics are freely distributed and not expanded over time. Spatio-functional patterns of the four HCTs were theorised, and the paper concludes with suggestions regarding future land-use optimisation for the four HCTs concerning heritage tourism.

Towards evidence-based conservation of subterranean ecosystems.

ABSTRACTSubterranean ecosystems are among the most widespread environments on Earth, yet we still have poor knowledge of their biodiversity. To raise awareness of subterranean ecosystems, the essential services they provide, and their unique conservation challenges, 2021 and 2022 were designated International Years of Caves and Karst. As these ecosystems have traditionally been overlooked in global conservation agendas and multilateral agreements, a quantitative assessment of solution‐based approaches to safeguard subterranean biota and associated habitats is timely. This assessment allows researchers and practitioners to understand the progress made and research needs in subterranean ecology and management. We conducted a systematic review of peer‐reviewed and grey literature focused on subterranean ecosystems globally (terrestrial, freshwater, and saltwater systems), to quantify the available evidence‐base for the effectiveness of conservation interventions. We selected 708 publications from the years 1964 to 2021 that discussed, recommended, or implemented 1,954 conservation interventions in subterranean ecosystems. We noted a steep increase in the number of studies from the 2000s while, surprisingly, the proportion of studies quantifying the impact of conservation interventions has steadily and significantly decreased in recent years. The effectiveness of 31% of conservation interventions has been tested statistically. We further highlight that 64% of the reported research occurred in the Palearctic and Nearctic biogeographic regions. Assessments of the effectiveness of conservation interventions were heavily biased towards indirect measures (monitoring and risk assessment), a limited sample of organisms (mostly arthropods and bats), and more accessible systems (terrestrial caves). Our results indicate that most conservation science in the field of subterranean biology does not apply a rigorous quantitative approach, resulting in sparse evidence for the effectiveness of interventions. This raises the important question of how to make conservation efforts more feasible to implement, cost‐effective, and long‐lasting. Although there is no single remedy, we propose a suite of potential solutions to focus our efforts better towards increasing statistical testing and stress the importance of standardising study reporting to facilitate meta‐analytical exercises. We also provide a database summarising the available literature, which will help to build quantitative knowledge about interventions likely to yield the greatest impacts depending upon the subterranean species and habitats of interest. We view this as a starting point to shift away from the widespread tendency of recommending conservation interventions based on anecdotal and expert‐based information rather than scientific evidence, without quantitatively testing their effectiveness.

Distributed leadership practices and student science performance through the four-path model: examining failure in underprivileged schools

PurposeAs a failure analysis emphasizing school leadership in underprivileged schools serving socioeconomically disadvantaged and minority students, the study is interested in determining whether and to what extent variations in distributed leadership (DL) practices are related to student performance through the mediating effects of four-path variables.Design/methodology/approachThis research conducted secondary data analysis using the 2015 PISA American data. The study employed factor analysis and structural equation models (SEMs) to investigate multidimensional associations among a set of variables, including school socioeconomic status (SES), student composition, DL practices, school four-path factors and student performance. The research used a design-based resampling approach with balanced repeated replication (BRR) weights to analyze the complex survey data.FindingsThe results indicate that, within a DL framework, teacher leadership in instructional management is positively and directly related to student performance. Governing board leadership in school administration is indirectly related to student performance through four-path variables' mediating effects. Importantly, though the two leadership sources help improve student performance, they are less prevalent in underprivileged schools with disproportional minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students.Originality/valueThis research is a failure analysis through the lens of DL for underprivileged schools. The study used rigorous quantitative approaches and examined multidimensional associations among school socioeconomic status (SES), DL, school factors that school leaders could maneuver and student performance. The evidence sheds light on remedial actions in failed schools to focus on improving teacher leadership and organizational capacity.

A Bayesian approach to evaluation of soil biogeochemical models

Abstract. To make predictions about the carbon cycling consequences of rising global surface temperatures, Earth system scientists rely on mathematical soil biogeochemical models (SBMs). However, it is not clear which models have better predictive accuracy, and a rigorous quantitative approach for comparing and validating the predictions has yet to be established. In this study, we present a Bayesian approach to SBM comparison that can be incorporated into a statistical model selection framework. We compared the fits of linear and nonlinear SBMs to soil respiration data compiled in a recent meta-analysis of soil warming field experiments. Fit quality was quantified using Bayesian goodness-of-fit metrics, including the widely applicable information criterion (WAIC) and leave-one-out cross validation (LOO). We found that the linear model generally outperformed the nonlinear model at fitting the meta-analysis data set. Both WAIC and LOO computed higher overfitting risk and effective numbers of parameters for the nonlinear model compared to the linear model, conditional on the data set. Goodness of fit for both models generally improved when they were initialized with lower and more realistic steady-state soil organic carbon densities. Still, testing whether linear models offer definitively superior predictive performance over nonlinear models on a global scale will require comparisons with additional site-specific data sets of suitable size and dimensionality. Such comparisons can build upon the approach defined in this study to make more rigorous statistical determinations about model accuracy while leveraging emerging data sets, such as those from long-term ecological research experiments.

Education in Pakistan: Are low-cost private schools closing the gender gap?

The focus of this research is to explore the educational outcomes of low-cost private schools (LCPSs) against public schools in Pakistan and whether they have any significant impact in correcting for the prevailing gender biases in the education system. In an attempt to advance the literature on the experience and outcomes of LCPSs and particularly on female students in Pakistan, this research has employed a rigorous quantitative approach by using various statistical tests to build up suitable econometric models. The findings show that boys are more likely to attend LCPSs than girls which further widens the gender imbalances in educational institutes. However, the research also reveals, if given a chance to attend LCPSs, female students academically outperform the male counterparts. The research further point to the fact that educated parents chose LCPS and father’s level of education has stronger impact on the choice of schooling.

Improving Efficiency and Meeting Expectations Without Compromising Care on Trauma Surgical Rounds

BackgroundCare teams on complex surgical services face a growing list of competing expectations. Approaches to quality improvement must use minimal resources and address both system and human requirements to meet expectations without compromising care. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate that iterative prototyping, combined with a rigorous quantitative evaluation approach, can effectively improve system and stakeholder efficiency on daily trauma surgical rounds at an academic safety-net hospital and level 1 trauma center. Materials and methodsThis study occurred between May 2017 and October 2017 at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center. Care team members rounding on the trauma service included attending trauma surgeons, fellows, residents, interns, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and medical students. We used human-centered design to develop and test solutions to improve the surgical rounding process. Each prototype was evaluated using qualitative design research methods, which informed the next iteration. Time observations of rounding activities were adopted from the Lean methodology and tracked before and after implementation. Intern work hours, on-time operative starts, and discharge order times were also tracked before and after implementation. ResultsFour prototypes were designed and iteratively implemented, producing care team satisfaction by the end of the implementation period. Discharge order times decreased by a median of 58 min, intern work hours were decreased by 97 min/d, and first operative case on-time starts increased from 40% to 63% (P < 0.05). The time spent on clarifications decreased by 4.7% (P < 0.05), allowing for more time to discuss care plans with the patients themselves. ConclusionsIterative prototyping as part of a human-centered design methodology is a powerful tool to address complex systems with diverse interests and competing priorities. Rapid, in-context prototyping is feasible on a complex trauma surgical service and can result in improved workflows and efficiency for the system and its stakeholders.

A Forest Model Intercomparison Framework and Application at Two Temperate Forests Along the East Coast of the United States

State-of-the-art forest models are often complex, analytically intractable, and computationally expensive, due to the explicit representation of detailed biogeochemical and ecological processes. Different models often produce distinct results while predictions from the same model vary with parameter values. In this project, we developed a rigorous quantitative approach for conducting model intercomparisons and assessing model performance. We have applied our original methodology to compare two forest biogeochemistry models, the Perfect Plasticity Approximation with Simple Biogeochemistry (PPA-SiBGC) and Landscape Disturbance and Succession with Net Ecosystem Carbon and Nitrogen (LANDIS-II NECN). We simulated past-decade conditions at flux tower sites located within Harvard Forest, MA, USA (HF-EMS) and Jones Ecological Research Center, GA, USA (JERC-RD). We mined field data available from both sites to perform model parameterization, validation, and intercomparison. We assessed model performance using the following time-series metrics: Net ecosystem exchange, aboveground net primary production, aboveground biomass, C, and N, belowground biomass, C, and N, soil respiration, and species total biomass and relative abundance. We also assessed static observations of soil organic C and N, and concluded with an assessment of general model usability, performance, and transferability. Despite substantial differences in design, both models achieved good accuracy across the range of pool metrics. While LANDIS-II NECN showed better fidelity to interannual NEE fluxes, PPA-SiBGC indicated better overall performance for both sites across the 11 temporal and two static metrics tested (HF-EMS R 2 ¯ = 0.73 , + 0.07 , R M S E ¯ = 4.68 , − 9.96 ; JERC-RD R 2 ¯ = 0.73 , + 0.01 , R M S E ¯ = 2.18 , − 1.64 ). To facilitate further testing of forest models at the two sites, we provide pre-processed datasets and original software written in the R language of statistical computing. In addition to model intercomparisons, our approach may be employed to test modifications to forest models and their sensitivity to different parameterizations.

Using NIATx strategies to implement integrated services in routine care: a study protocol

BackgroundAccess to integrated services for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders is a long-standing public health issue. Receiving integrated treatment services are both more effective and preferred by patients and families versus parallel or fragmented care. National policy statements and expert consensus guidelines underscore the benefits of integrated treatment. Despite decades of awareness, adequate treatment for individuals with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders occurs infrequently. The underlying disease burden associated with alcohol, illicit and prescription drug problems, as well as mental health disorders, such as depression, posttraumatic stress disorder and schizophrenia, is substantial.MethodsThis cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) is designed to determine if the multi-component Network for the Improvement of Addiction Treatment (NIATx) strategies are effective in implementing integrated services for persons with co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders. In this study, 50 behavioral health programs in Washington State will be recruited and then randomized into one of two intervention arms: 1) NIATx implementation strategies, including coaching and learning sessions over a 12-month intervention period to implement changes targeting integrated treatment services; or 2) wait-list control. Primary outcome measures include: 1) fidelity - a standardized organizational assessment of integrated services (Dual Diagnosis in Addiction Treatment [DDCAT] Index); and 2) penetration - proportion of patients screened and diagnosed with co-occurring disorders, proportion of eligible patients receiving substance use and mental health services, and psychotropic or substance use disorder medications. Barriers and facilitators, as determinants of implementation outcomes, will be assessed using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) Index. Fidelity to and participation in NIATx strategies will be assessed utilizing the NIATx Fidelity Scale and Stages of Implementation Completion (SIC).DiscussionThis study addresses an issue of substantial public health significance: the gap in access to an evidence-based practice for integrated treatment for individuals with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. The study utilizes rigorous and reproducible quantitative approaches to measuring implementation determinants and strategies, and may address a longstanding gap in the quality of care for persons with co-occurring disorders.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03007940. Registered 02 January 2017 – Retrospectively Registered

School factors that are related to school principals’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment

Despite that principals’ job satisfaction and organizational commitment are substantial for recruitment and retention of effective leaders, research exploring school factors for the deterministic role in such attitudes has been unexpectedly rare. Given the crucial role of a school principal in leading school success, understanding the status of the principal's psychological conditions and the antecedent school factors is important. This research is a secondary analysis using the TALIS 2013 dataset, and applied a rigorous quantitative approach. Latent Trait method was first applied to construct latent variables of principals' job satisfaction and organizational commitment to compare the interests across countries. Then a two-level Generalized Structural Equation Model was used to detect the structured relationship between a set of school factors and principals' attitudes with pooled 32-country data. Finally, Generalized Structural Equation Model was fitted for each country's data to investigate how school factors influence principals' attitudes in different contexts. The study revealed significant variations among countries and continents in the principal’s job satisfaction and organizational commitment. The school’s positive social interaction, safety, human resource, autonomy for staffing, school management type and the funding resources significantly predict the principal's attitudes towards the job and the school.

Role of gender, professional level, and geographic location of artists on how they represent a story: the case of Little Red Riding Hood

Little Red Riding Hood is a widely known classic story and its text has been abundantly analyzed, but no detailed statistical stud- ies have been published about how it has been illustrated. We analyzed 554 images from the public artists’ site DeviantArt (January, 2015); clas- si ed them according to how the wolf, Little Red, and the environment were represented by the artists; and applied non-parametrical statisti- cal tests to check several hypotheses. When compared with profession- als, amateur artists tended to present a more neutral environment, and to humanize the wolf. Female artists were more likely to represent the wolf as a dressed man. Men were more likely to set the story outside of forests, to eroticize Red and to show her confused, scared or unin- terested when rst meeting the wolf. The neutral attitude of amateurs towards nature suggests indecision, while professional artists seem more used to produce family-friendly images. The female tendency to present the wolf as a man forces them to dress him and may re ect a stronger awareness about the moral of the story, meant to warn young women about men’s sexuality. Men deviate more from the forest set- ting because they feel safer in new environments, and also appear to see Red as a sexually attractive partner and the wolf as a competitor. Artists tended to show no sexual intent between the characters, but those who did were mostly amateurs. The global similarity in art about Little Red Riding Hood indicates that all modern audiences are familiar with the standard representation of the story in books, lms and televi- sion. This article presents a rigorous quantitative approach to the study of art that can be applied to many other stories and subjects.