Sex of Figure Drawings and Self-Esteem

Abstract

This study examined the relationship between sex order of human figure drawing and self-esteem. Undergraduates ( N = 440) drew a person and completed the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale. Female subjects ( n = 255) drew the opposite sex 39.2% of the time ( n = 100), while 185 men drew females first only 6.5% of the time ( n = 12). Using median scores derived from the sample, men who drew females first were more likely to have low self-esteem than were the men over-all. Self-esteem judged on the sex of their drawing was not significantly different for women. These findings reinforce the importance of accounting for sex differences in personality assessment and support the hypothesis that drawing of the opposite sex by women may reflect social role rather than psychological conflict.