Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 1, 2026
11:29
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
Children's human figure drawings do not measure intellectual ability
Emma Willcock1, Kana Imuta, Harlene Hayne
1Department of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
|May 31, 2011
Summary
The Draw-A-Person: Quantitative Scoring System (DAP:QSS) is not a valid measure of children's intelligence. This drawing test produced too many incorrect classifications of intellectual ability, making it unreliable for screening purposes.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Psychometrics
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Children's drawing development follows stages, but progression varies individually.
- Some experts link drawing ability to intelligence.
- The Draw-A-Person: Quantitative Scoring System (DAP:QSS) is often used to assess intellectual abilities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the validity of the DAP:QSS as a measure of intellectual ability in young children.
- To determine if drawing development accurately reflects cognitive functioning.
Main Methods:
- 125 five- and six-year-old children participated in the study.
- Children completed the DAP:QSS and either the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised (WPPSI-R) or the Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence (WASI).
- Scores from the DAP:QSS and Wechsler tests were statistically analyzed.
Main Results:
- A statistically significant correlation was found between DAP:QSS scores and Wechsler test scores.
- However, the DAP:QSS produced a high rate of false positives and false negatives for identifying low intellectual functioning.
- Individual child assessments revealed significant discrepancies.
Conclusions:
- The DAP:QSS is not a valid or reliable measure of intellectual ability in children.
- The use of DAP:QSS as a screening tool for intellectual functioning is not recommended.
- Drawing ability does not reliably indicate overall intelligence in this age group.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:23Binet's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
Alfred Binet, along with his student Théophile Simon, was tasked by the French Ministry of Education in 1904 to create a method for identifying students who struggled to learn through conventional classroom instruction. This initiative aimed to address overcrowding by placing such students in specialized schools. Binet and Simon developed an intelligence test comprising 30 tasks, ranging from simple commands, like touching one's nose or ear, to more complex tasks, such as drawing designs from...
01:29Measures of Intelligence
Psychologists measure intelligence by using standardized tests that produce a score known as the intelligence quotient or IQ. To understand IQ tests, it's important to recognize the key principles behind their construction: validity, reliability, and standardization.
Validity refers to how well a test measures what it claims to measure. An intelligence test should accurately assess intelligence rather than another characteristic, like anxiety. Criterion validity is one way to evaluate this; it...
Validity refers to how well a test measures what it claims to measure. An intelligence test should accurately assess intelligence rather than another characteristic, like anxiety. Criterion validity is one way to evaluate this; it...
01:30Biological Influences on Intelligence
Intelligence is often thought to be linked to brain size, but the relationship is more complex than that. While brain size does correlate modestly with some abilities, like verbal skills, the connection is weaker for others, such as spatial reasoning. Other factors, like brain structure, also play crucial roles. For instance, despite Einstein's smaller-than-average brain, his parietal cortex, which is involved in spatial reasoning, was 15% wider, suggesting that neural density might matter more...
01:23Wechsler's Contribution to Measures of Intelligence
David Wechsler, a psychologist who worked with World War I veterans, developed a significant IQ test in 1939 called the Wechsler-Bellevue Intelligence Scale. This test was innovative because it combined several subtests that measured both verbal and nonverbal skills, reflecting Wechsler's belief that intelligence is a global capacity involving purposeful action, rational thinking, and effective interaction with the environment. This test later evolved into the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale...
01:27Intelligence
The term "intelligence" is complex because it refers to both behavior and individuals, and its interpretation varies across cultures. European Americans tend to link intelligence with reasoning and cognitive skills, while in Kenya, it is tied to responsible participation in family and social life. In Uganda, intelligence is seen as the ability to know the right actions and carry them out effectively, while the Iatmul people of Papua New Guinea associate it with the capacity to remember detailed...
01:29Environmental Influences on Intelligence
Despite the strong genetic influence on traits like intelligence, environmental factors significantly shape outcomes. For example, while over 90% of height variation is due to genetic differences, environmental factors such as nutrition also have a notable impact. Similarly, for intelligence, changes in a child's surroundings can significantly alter their IQ. Research shows that enriched environments boost children's academic success and help them develop key cognitive skills. Children from...