Gender-Differentiated Behaviour Traits of Elementary School Pupils in Identical Visual Arts Learning Situations
ABSTRACT
This exploratory qualitative research project comparatively observes the conduct of girls and boys—in their third year of elementary school—divided in same-gender dyads, participating successively in an identical visual arts project in Canada. Our goal is to improve knowledge of the differences and similarities between boys and girls in a learning situation and help to devise gender-differentiated teaching strategies in the visual arts, a curricular subject for which boys typically show limited interest. We categorize the behaviour patterns of our research subjects according to a behavioural indicators table we designed after reviewing literature on female/male brain, personality types, gender and gender role. We observe notable gender differences in behaviour among the pupils, with “male indicators” overwhelming identified in the boys and, surprisingly, in one girl, while the “female indicators” are clearly dominant in the other girls.
This exploratory qualitative research project comparatively observes the conduct of girls and boys—in their third year of elementary school—divided in same-gender dyads, participating successively in an identical visual arts project in Canada. Our goal is to improve knowledge of the differences and similarities between boys and girls in a learning situation and help to devise gender-differentiated teaching strategies in the visual arts, a curricular subject for which boys typically show limited interest. We categorize the behaviour patterns of our research subjects according to a behavioural indicators table we designed after reviewing literature on female/male brain, personality types, gender and gender role. We observe notable gender differences in behaviour among the pupils, with “male indicators” overwhelming identified in the boys and, surprisingly, in one girl, while the “female indicators” are clearly dominant in the other girls.
Cite this paper
Savoie, A. & St-Pierre, S. (2012). Gender-Differentiated Behaviour Traits of Elementary School Pupils in Identical Visual Arts Learning Situations. Creative Education, 3, 1205-1211. doi: 10.4236/ce.2012.37179.
Savoie, A. & St-Pierre, S. (2012). Gender-Differentiated Behaviour Traits of Elementary School Pupils in Identical Visual Arts Learning Situations. Creative Education, 3, 1205-1211. doi: 10.4236/ce.2012.37179.
References
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[1] Astolfi, J.-P. (2004). L’école pour apprendre. Paris: ESF. [2] Baron-Cohen, S. (2003). The essential difference: Male and female brain and the truth about autism. New York, NY: Basic Books. [3] Baron-Cohen, S. (2005). The essential difference: The male and female brain. Phi Kappa Phi Forum, 85, 23-25. [4] Bem, S. L. (1974). The measurement of psychological androgyny. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 42, 155-162. Hdoi:10.1037/h0036215 [5] Billington, J., Baron-Cohen, S., & Wheelright, S. (2007). Cognitive style predicts entry into physical sciences and humanities: Questionnaire and performance test of empathy and systemizing. Learning and Individual Differences, 17, 260-268. Hdoi:10.1016/j.lindif.2007.02.004 [6] Blaikie, F., Sch?nau, D., & Steers, J. (2003). Student’s gendered experiences of high school portfolio art assessment in Canada, the Netherlands, and England. Studies in Art Education, 4, 335-349. [7] Blakemore, S. J., & Frith, U. (2005). The learning brain: Lessons for education. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. [8] Braconnier, A. (2000). Le sexe des émotions. Paris: Odile Jacob. [9] Carroll, J. M., & Yung, C. K. (2006). Sex and discipline differences in empathising, systemising and autistic symptomatology: Evidence from a student population. Journal of Autism and Development Disorders, 36, 949-957. Hdoi:10.1007/s10803-006-0127-9H [10] Chen, W. J., & Kantner, L. A. (1996). Gender differentiation and young children’s drawings. Visual Art Research, 22, 44-51. [11] Chodorow, N. J. (1999). The reproduction of mothering. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. [12] Coates, J. (2003). Men talk: Stories in the making of masculinities. London: Blackwell Publishing Ltd. [13] Cross, T. L., Speirs Neumeister, K. L. & Cassady, J. C. (2007). Psychological types of academically gifted adolescents. Gifted Child Quarterly, 51, 285-294. Hdoi:10.1177/0016986207302723 [14] Duncombe, J., & Marsden, D. (1993). Love and intimacy: The gender division of emotions and emotion work. A neglected aspect of sociological discussion of heterosexual relationships. Sociology, 27, 221-241. Hdoi:10.1177/0038038593027002003 [15] Duncum, P. (1997). Subjects and themes in children’s unsolicited drawings and gender socialization. In A. M. Kindler (Ed.), Child development in art (pp. 107-114). Reston, VA: National Art Education Association. [16] Dumais, S. A. (2002). Cultural capital, gender, and school success: The role of habitus. Sociology of Education, 75, 44-68. Hdoi:10.2307/3090253 [17] Flannery, K. A., & Watson, M. W. (1995). Sex differences and genderrole differences in children’s drawings. Studies in Art Education, 36, 114-122. Hdoi:10.2307/1320743 [18] Feinburg, S. G. (1977). Conceptual content and spatial characteristics in boys’ and girls’ drawing of fighting and helping. Studies in Art Education,18, 63-72. Hdoi:10.2307/1319480 [19] Focquaert, F., Steven, M. S., Wolford, G. L., Colden, A., & Gazzaniga, M. S. (2007). Empathizing and systemizing cognitive traits in the sciences and humanities. Personality and Individual Differences, 43, 619-625. Hdoi:10.1016/j.paid.2007.01.004 [20] Garber, E., Sandell, R., Stankiewicz, M. A., Risner, D., Collins, G., Zimmerman, E., Congdon, K., Floyd, M., Jaksch, M., Speirs, P., Springgay, S., & Irwin, R. (2007). Gender equity in visual arts and dance education. In S. S. Klein (Ed.), Handbook for achieving gender equity through education (pp. 359-380). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. [21] Golomb, C. (2004). The child’s creation of a pictorial world. Mahwah: NJ: Lawrence Earlbaum Associates. [22] Guionnet, C., & Neveu, E. (2009). Féminins/masculins: Sociologie du genre. Paris: Armand Colin. [23] Helmreich, R. L., Spence, J. T., & Holahan, C. K. (1979). Psychological androgyny and sex role flexibility: A test of two hypotheses. Journal of personality and social psychology, 39, 1631-1644. [24] Hittner, J. B., & Daniels, J. R. (2002). Gender-role orientation, creative accomplishments and cognitive styles. Journal of Creative Behavior, 36, 63-75. Hdoi:10.1002/j.2162-6057.2002.tb01056.x [25] ISQ (2007). Statistiques principales de la culture et des communications au Québec: édition 2007. Québec: Gouvernement du Québec, Institut de la statistique du Québec. [26] Keller, C. J., Lavish, L. A., & Brown, C. (2007). Creative styles and gender roles in undergraduates students. Creativity Research Journal, 19, 273-280. Hdoi:10.1080/10400410701397396 [27] Kellogg, R. (1969). Analyzing children’s art. Palo Alto, CA: National Press Books. [28] Myers, I. B. (1962). The Myers-Briggs type indicator manual. Princeton, NJ: Educational Testing Service. [29] Manson, C., & Winterbottom, M. (2012). Examining the association between empathising, systemising, degree subject and gender. Educational Studies, 38, 73-78. Hdoi:10.1080/03055698.2011.567032 [30] McNiff, K. (1982). Sex differences in children’s art. Journal of Education, 164, 271-289. [31] MEQ (2001). Programme de formation de l’école québécoise: éducation préscolaire, enseignement primaire. Québec: Le Ministère. [32] Monteil, J.-M. (2008). Comportements et contextes scolaires. In A. Van Zanten (Ed.), Dictionnaire de l’éducation (pp. 81-85). Paris: PUF. [33] Nettle, D. (2007). Empathizing and systemizing: What are they, and what do they contribute to our understanding of psychological sex differences? British Journal of Psychology, 98, 237-255. Hdoi:10.1348/000712606X117612 [34] Norlander, T., & Erixon, A. (2000). Psychological androgyny and creativity: Dynamics of gender role and personality trait. Social Behavior and Personality, 28, 423-436. Hdoi:10.2224/sbp.2000.28.5.423 [35] Octobre, S. (2004). Les loisirs culturels des 6-14 ans. Paris: La documentation fran?aise. [36] Perraudeau, M. (1997). Les cycles de la différenciation pédagogique. Paris: Armand Colin. [37] Perrenoud, P. (1995). La pédagogie à l’école des différences. Paris: ESF. [38] Przesmycki, H. (2004). La pédagogie différenciée. Paris: Hachette. [39] Rogers, P. L. (1995). Girls like colors, boys like action? Imagery preference and gender. Montessori Life, 7, 37-40. [40] Salkind, L., & Salkind, N. J. (1997). Gender and age differences in preference for works of art. Studies in Art Education, 39, 246-256. Hdoi:10.2307/1320524 [41] Savoie, A. (2008). Considérations sur les difficultés des gar?ons en arts plastiques: Approches différenciées et traits cognitifs liés aux genres. In F. Gagnon-Bourget & P. Gosselin (Eds.), Actes du colloque sur la recherche en enseignement des arts visuels 2006 (pp. 93-100). Montréal, Qc: CRéA éditions. [42] Savoie, A. (2009). Boys’ lack of interest in fine arts in a coeducational setting: A review of sex-related cognitive traits studies. International Journal of Art and Design Education, 28, 25-36. Hdoi:10.1111/j.1476-8070.2009.01590.x [43] Savoie, A., Grenon, V., & St-Pierre, S. (2010). Comparaison de perceptions autorévélées au regard des arts plastiques recueillies auprès d’élèves masculins et féminins d’une école secondaire. In A.-M. émond, F. Gagnon-Bourget, A. Savoie, & P. Gosselin (Eds.), Actes du colloque sur la recherche en enseignement des arts visuels 2008 (pp. 93-101). Montréal: CRéA éditions. [44] Speck, C. (1995). Gender difference in children’s drawings. Australian Art Education, 18, 44-54. [45] Stoltzfus, G., Nibbelink, B. L., Vredenburg, D., & Thyrum, E. (2011). Gender, gender role, and creativity. Social Behavior and Personality, 39, 425-432. Hdoi:10.2224/sbp.2011.39.3.425 [46] Thorne, B. (1993). Gender play: Girls and boys in school. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. [47] Tuman, D. (1999). Gender style as form and content: An examination of gender stereotypes in the subject preference of children’s drawing. Studies in Art Education, 41, 40-60. Hdoi:10.2307/1320249 [48] Tuman, D. (2000). Defining differences: An historical overview of the research regarding the difference between the drawings of boys and girls. The Journal of Gender Issues in Art Education, 1, 17-30. [49] Wilson, M., & Wilson, B. (1982). Teaching children to draw: A guide for parents and teachers. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.