ERIC Number: EJ1107784
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Aug
Pages: 26
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0926-7220
EISSN: N/A
American and Greek Children's Visual Images of Scientists: Enduring or Fading Stereotypes?
Christidou, Vasilia; Bonoti, Fotini; Kontopoulou, Argiro
Science & Education, v25 n5-6 p497-522 Aug 2016
This study explores American and Greek primary pupils' visual images of scientists by means of two nonverbal data collection tasks to identify possible convergences and divergences. Specifically, it aims to investigate whether their images of scientists vary according to the data collection instrument used and to gender. To this end, 91 third-grade American (N = 46) and Greek (N = 45) pupils were examined. Data collection was conducted through a drawing task based on Chambers (1983) "Draw-A-Scientist-Test" (DAST) and a picture selection task during which the children selected between 14 pairs of illustrations those that were most probable to represent scientists. Analysis focused on stereotype indicators related with scientists' appearance and work setting. Results showed that the two groups' performance varied significantly across the tasks used to explore their stereotypic perceptions, although the overall stereotypy was not differentiated according to participants' ethnic group. Moreover, boys were found to use more stereotypic indicators than girls, while the picture selection task elicited more stereotypic responses than the drawing task. In general, data collected by the two instruments revealed convergences and divergences concerning the stereotypic indicators preferred. Similarities and differences between national groups point to the influence of a globalized popular culture on the one hand and of the different sociocultural contexts underlying science curricula and their implementation on the other. Implications for science education are discussed.
Descriptors: Scientists, Stereotypes, Elementary School Students, Grade 3, Illustrations, Popular Culture, Social Environment, Science Education, Foreign Countries, Young Children, Visualization, Childhood Attitudes, Freehand Drawing, Portraiture, Elementary School Science, Gender Differences
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education; Grade 3; Primary Education; Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Greece; United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A