Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Impact of Gender and the Stereotyped Nature of Illustrations on Choice of Color: Replica of the Study by Karniol (2011) in a Spanish Sample

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Gender Issues Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Early acquisition of stereotypes that associate “blue” with boys and “pink” with girls can influence their preferences for these colors and also their choices in clothing, toys or objects in relation to gender stereotypes. In a Spanish sample (5–10-year olds, n = 614), this study reproduces the previous research conducted by Karniol (Sex Roles 65(1/2):119–132, 2011) for the purpose of analyzing whether gender-linked color preferences rule the choice of coloring booklets and if children’s choices of color are affected by their own gender. The results show that although boys used fewer female-stereotyped colors than girls, both genders colored in each figure with the stereotyped colors associated with them. This result indicates that boys and girls share similar gender stereotypes and use colors that agree with these stereotypes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Auster, C. J., & Mansbach, C. S. (2012). The gender marketing of toys: an analysis of color and type of toy on the Disney Store Website. Sex Roles, 67, 375–388. doi:10.1007/s11199-012-0177-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Baldy, R. (2002). Dessine-moi un bonhomme. Dessins d’enfants et développement cognitif [Draw me a human figure. [Children’s drawings and cognitive development]. Paris: Press Editions.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Boyatzis, C. J., & Varghese, R. (1994). Children’s emotional associations with colors. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 155, 77–85. doi:10.1080/00221325.1994.9914760.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Cherney, I. D., & London, K. (2006). Gender-linked differences in the toys, television shows, computer games, and outdoor activities of 5-to 13-year-old children. Sex Roles, 54(9–10), 717–726. doi:10.1007/s11199-006-9037-8.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Cherney, I. D., Kelly-Vance, L., Gill, K., Ruane, A., & Ryalls, B. O. (2003). The effects of stereotyped toys and gender on play-based assessment in 18–48 months old children. Educational Psychology, 23, 95–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chiu, S. W., Gervan, S., Fairbrother, C., Johnson, L. L., Owen-Anderson, A. F. H., Bradley, S. J., et al. (2006). Sex-dimorphic color preference in children with gender identity disorder: A comparison to clinical and community controls. Sex Roles, 55, 385–395. doi:10.1007/s11199-006-9089-9.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Cox, M. V. (1993). Children’s drawings of the human figure. Hove: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Cunningham, S. J., & Macrae, C. N. (2011). The colour of gender stereotyping. British Journal of Psychology, 102, 598–614. doi:10.1111/j.2044-8295.2011.02023.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Del Olmo, J. (2006). El color como elemento comunicacional. Comunicar, 26, 111–116. doi:10.3916/C38-2012-03-07.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Ellis, L., & Ficek, C. (2001). Color preferences according to gender and sexual orientation. Personality and Individual Differences, 31, 1375–1379. doi:10.1016/S0191-8869(00)00231-2.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Endendijk, J. J., Groeneveld, M. G., Van Berke, S. R., Hallers-Haalboom, E. T., Mesman, J., & Bakermans-Kranenburg, M. J. (2013). Gender stereotypes in the family context: Mothers, fathers, and siblings. Sex Roles, 68, 577–590. doi:10.1007/s11199-013-0265-4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Grossman, R. P., & Wisenblit, J. Z. (1999). What we know about consumers’ color choices. The Journal of Marketing, 5, 78–88. doi:10.1108/EUM0000000004565.

    Google Scholar 

  13. He, W., Zhang, Y., Zhu, J., Xu, Y., Yu, W., Chen, W., et al. (2001). Could sex differences in color preference and its personality correlates fit into social theories? Let Chinese university students tell you. Personality and Individual Differences, 51, 154–159. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2011.03.035.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Iijima, M., Arisaka, O., Minamoto, F., & Arai, Y. (2001). Sex differences in children’s free drawings: A study on girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Hormones and Behavior, 40, 99–104. doi:10.1006/hbeh.2001.1670.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Karniol, R. (2011). The color of children’s gender stereotypes. Sex Roles, 65(1/2), 119–132. doi:10.1007/s11199-011-9989-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Kilinç, N. (2011). Clothing color preferences of boys and girls aged between six and nine. Social Behavior and Personality, 39(10), 1359–1366. doi:10.2224/sbp.2011.39.10.1359.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Leaper, C., & Friedman, C. K. (2007). The socialization of gender. In J. E. Grusec & P. D. Hastings (Eds.), Handbook of socialization: Theory and research (pp. 561–587). New York: Guilford Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Liben, L. S., & Bigler, R. S. (2002). Extending the study of gender differentiation: Reply. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, 67(2), 179–183. doi:10.1111/1540-5834.00203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Lobato, E. (2005). Juego sociodramático y esquemas de género. Una investigación en educación infantil. Cultura y Educación, 17(2), 115–129. doi:10.1174/1135640054192847.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. LoBue, V., & DeLoache, J. S. (2011). Pretty in pink: The early development of gender-stereotyped colour preferences. British Journal of Developmental Psychology, 29, 656–667. doi:10.1111/j.2044-835X.2011.02027.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Martin, C. L., & Ruble, D. N. (2004). Children’s search for gender cues: Cognitive perspectives on gender development. Current directions in psychosocial science, 13, 67–70. doi:10.1111/j.0963-7214.2004.00276.x.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Martínez, M. C., & Vélez, M. (2009). Actitud en niños y adultos sobre los estereotipos de género en juguetes infantiles. Ciencia Ergo Sum, 16(2), 137–144.

    Google Scholar 

  23. Milne, L. C., & Greenway, P. (1999). Color in children’s drawings: The influence of age and gender. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 26, 261–263. doi:10.1016/S0197-4556(98)00075-6.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Navarro, R., Larrañaga, E., & Yubero, S. (2011). Bullying-victimisation problems and aggressive tendencies in Spanish secondary school students: The role of gender stereotypical traits. Social Psychology of Education, 14(4), 457–473. doi:10.1007/s11218-011-9163-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Picariello, M. L., Greenberg, D. N., & Pillemer, D. B. (1990). Children’s sex-related stereotyping of colors. Child Development, 61, 1453–1460. doi:10.2307/1130755.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Pomerleau, A., Bolduc, D., Malcuit, G., & Cossette, L. (1990). Pink or blue: Environmental gender stereotypes in the first two years of life. Sex Roles, 22, 359–367. doi:10.1007/BF00288339.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Ruble, D. N., Martin, C. L., & Berenbaum, S. (2006). Gender development. In N. Eisenberg (Ed.), Handbook of child psychology: Vol.3, personality and social development (6th ed.). New York: Wiley. doi:10.1002/9780470147658.chpsy0314.

    Google Scholar 

  28. Serbin, L. A., Poulin-Dubois, D., Colburne, K. A., Sen, M. G., & Eichstedt, J. A. (2001). Gender stereotyping in infancy: Visual preferences for and knowledge of gender-stereotyped toys in the second year. International Journal of Behavioral Development, 25, 7–15. doi:10.1080/01650250042000078.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Servin, A., Nordenström, A., Larsson, A., & Bohlin, G. (2003). Prenatal androgens and gender-typed behavior: A study of girls with mild and severe forms of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Developmental Psychology, 39(3), 440. doi:10.1037/0012-1649.39.3.440.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. Subirats, M., & Brullet, C. (1988). Rosa y azul: la transmisión de los géneros en la escuela mixta. Madrid: Instituto de la Mujer.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Toku, M. (2001). Cross-cultural analysis of artistic development: Drawing by Japanese and US children. Visual Arts Research, 27(53), 46–59.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Ana B. Delgado for creating the new illustrations used for this study. We would also like to thank reviewers for clarifying the meaning of our words and for the suggestions that have contributed to a tighter and more comprehensive work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departament of Psychology, Faculty of Education and Humanities, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Avda de los Alfares, 42, 16071, Cuenca, Spain

    Raúl Navarro, Verónica Martínez, Santiago Yubero & Elisa Larrañaga

Authors
  1. Raúl Navarro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Verónica Martínez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Santiago Yubero
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Elisa Larrañaga
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Raúl Navarro.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Navarro, R., Martínez, V., Yubero, S. et al. Impact of Gender and the Stereotyped Nature of Illustrations on Choice of Color: Replica of the Study by Karniol (2011) in a Spanish Sample. Gend. Issues 31, 142–162 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-014-9122-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12147-014-9122-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation