An Investigation Into the Existence of an Association of Neutrality With Four Difference Human Figure Prototype Drawings

Galpin, James (2008). An Investigation Into the Existence of an Association of Neutrality With Four Difference Human Figure Prototype Drawings. MRes thesis The Open University.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21954/ou.ro.0000f291

Abstract

The current study was designed to investigate the outline human figure drawing, from a set of 4 human figure prototypes, which has the most neutral emotional associations for children. This will then enable future research to use this figure in drawing perception tasks. As a baseline figure with neutral association it can then have positive or negative characterisations projected onto, without the possible confound of the children having either a positive or negative preconception of the figure. This will improve the reliability of results gained in future drawing perception tasks, and therefore help to increase our understanding both of children’s drawing perception and drawing production. Seventy-eight children were assessed for their perception of each figure and asked to rate it on a seven-point Likert scale, with the figure being rated from ‘happy’ to ‘unhappy’. No one figure was universally viewed neutrally. The results are discussed in terms of which of the four figures would be the most reliable figure to be used in future studies.