The Draw‐A‐Woman Scientist Test
Exploring Schoolchildren's Perceptions of Women Scientists
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12396565 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Laura Goldstein (0000-0002-0088-9108, College of Education University of Rhode Island Kingston Rhode Island USA), Sara Sweetman (0000-0002-6938-5864, College of Education University of Rhode Island Kingston Rhode Island USA, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 36 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Publication date | 2025-12-22 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Community & Applied Social Psychology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1052-9284 • E-ISSN: 1099-1298 |
| Publisher | Wiley (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1002/casp.70214 |
| OpenAlex | W7116866158 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 24 |
Research on the gender gap in STEM has primarily focused on the behaviours of girls and women in response to their environments, with little focus on the attitudes of the boys and men. We introduce the Draw‐A‐Woman‐Scientist Test (DAWST), a variant on the Draw‐A‐Scientist Test (DAST), in order to understand attitudes towards women scientists. Using a sample of 696 drawings from students in grades K–7, we analyse rubric scores for differences across grade and gender. Our findings indicate that boys are less likely than girls to depict women scientists with feminine features. In addition, girls more frequently illustrate contemporary, realistic scientists, while boys tend to portray scientists in more sensationalised ways. Few changes occur across grade level other than those associated with drawing skill level. Overall, the image of the traditional scientist (lab coat, goggles, chemistry) persists. We note implications for policy and practice, with a focus on how ‘girls‐in‐STEM’ initiatives may contribute to gender imbalances by siloing depictions of women scientists into gender‐specific programming, rather than integrating those images into mainstream science education
Focus (optics · Focus group · Mainstream · Perception · Rubric · Test (biology · Career Development and Diversity · Science Education and Pedagogy · Science Education and Perceptions
Developing a STEM Identity Among Young Women
State Authenticity as Fit to Environment
“Doing” science versus “being” a scientist
The Development of Children's Gender-Science Stereotypes
Gender inequality in academia
Science and scientists from children’s point of view
Gender, stereotypes and grade level in the draw-a-scientist test in Italian schoolchildren
Profess-sirs and Profess-hers
Discovery Orientation, Cognitive Schemas, and Disparities in Science Identity in Early Adolescence
Stereotypic images of the scientist
Seeing Isn't Always Believing
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |