This research explores the influence of gendered connotations in children’s book illustrations on the perception and assimilation of gender stereotypes among boys and girls aged four to five. Through an empirical study conducted in a context designed to maximize ecological validity, the investigation examined whether graphic neutralization, defined as the reduction of details associated with gendered characteristics, can help decrease the activation of stereotypical schemas in children’s behaviors. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks drawn from research on visual perception, the acquisition of gender stereotypes in preschool age, and visual communication in educational contexts. The experimental design involved 82 participants (M = 41, F = 41; M = 4.73 years, SD = 0.45), structured in two phases: a baseline test, aimed at assessing pre-existing knowledge of gender stereotypes, and a subsequent test, conducted with two groups (control and experimental) to evaluate the effect of graphic neutralization. The illustrations, balanced in content but differentiated by the level of gender connotation, were presented individually. Data were collected through participant observation and structured ordinal quantitative observation sheets, allowing for the analysis of behaviors, preferences, and spontaneous associations between gender and activities. The results revealed a statistically significant reduction in stereotyped choices in the experimental group compared to the control group, along with a lower tendency to automatically assign gender to the depicted activities. Some variables, such as response certainty (CCU), recognition of gender-related elements (RGAA), and awareness of change (CSC), showed significant differences between groups, suggesting a tangible impact of visual neutralization on children’s behavior. At a qualitative level, children in the experimental group displayed greater hesitation in their decision-making process, indicative of a suspension of cognitive automatisms linked to stereotypes.
Graphic Neutralization and Gender Stereotypes in Early Childhood: How Visual Variables Shape Children’s Interpretations
Laura Sisti;Luciano Perondi
2026-01-01
Abstract
This research explores the influence of gendered connotations in children’s book illustrations on the perception and assimilation of gender stereotypes among boys and girls aged four to five. Through an empirical study conducted in a context designed to maximize ecological validity, the investigation examined whether graphic neutralization, defined as the reduction of details associated with gendered characteristics, can help decrease the activation of stereotypical schemas in children’s behaviors. The study is grounded in theoretical frameworks drawn from research on visual perception, the acquisition of gender stereotypes in preschool age, and visual communication in educational contexts. The experimental design involved 82 participants (M = 41, F = 41; M = 4.73 years, SD = 0.45), structured in two phases: a baseline test, aimed at assessing pre-existing knowledge of gender stereotypes, and a subsequent test, conducted with two groups (control and experimental) to evaluate the effect of graphic neutralization. The illustrations, balanced in content but differentiated by the level of gender connotation, were presented individually. Data were collected through participant observation and structured ordinal quantitative observation sheets, allowing for the analysis of behaviors, preferences, and spontaneous associations between gender and activities. The results revealed a statistically significant reduction in stereotyped choices in the experimental group compared to the control group, along with a lower tendency to automatically assign gender to the depicted activities. Some variables, such as response certainty (CCU), recognition of gender-related elements (RGAA), and awareness of change (CSC), showed significant differences between groups, suggesting a tangible impact of visual neutralization on children’s behavior. At a qualitative level, children in the experimental group displayed greater hesitation in their decision-making process, indicative of a suspension of cognitive automatisms linked to stereotypes.
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