This open access book explores how children draw god. It looks at children’s drawings collected in a large variety of cultural and religious traditions. Coverage demonstrates the richness of drawing as a method for studying representations of the divine. In the process, it also contributes to our understanding of this concept, its origins, and its development.
This intercultural work brings together scholars from different disciplines and countries, including Switzerland, Japan, Russia, Iran, Brazil, and the Netherlands. It does more than share the results of their research and analysis. The volume also critically examines the contributions and limitations of this methodology. In addition, it also reflects on the new empirical and theoretical perspectives within the broader framework of the study of this concept.
The concept of god is one of the most difficult to grasp. This volume offers new insights by focusing on the many different ways children depict god throughout the world. Readers will discover the importance of spatial imagery and color choices in drawings of god. They will also learn about how the divine's emotional expression correlates to age, gender, and religiosity as well as strategies used by children who are prohibited from representing their god.

lgrsnf/When Children Draw Gods.pdf

lgli/When Children Draw Gods.pdf

Pierre-Yves Brandt; Christelle Cocco; Zhargalma Dandarova-Robert; Frederic Darbellay; Dominique Vinck

Pierre-Yves Brandt, Zhargalma Dandarova Robert, Christelle Cocco, Dominique Vinck, édéric Darbellay

Springer Nature Switzerland AG

New approaches to the scientific study of religion, volume 12, Cham, Switzerland, 2022

Switzerland, Switzerland

1st ed. 2022, 2022

{"isbns":["303094431X","9783030944315"],"last_page":559,"publisher":"Springer","series":"New Approaches to the Scientific Study of Religion, 12"}

Contents
Chapter 1: Introduction to the Interdisciplinary and Intercultural Project Children’s Drawings of Gods: Presentation of the Project and of this Book
Presentation of the Children’s Drawings of Gods Project
A Work in Progress: From the Genesis of the Project to the Present
Procedure and Instructions
Ethical Considerations
God, “God”, Gods, Supernatural Agent: A Note on Terminology
Organisation of this Book
References
Part I: Towards an Integrative Model
Chapter 2: Integrative Model of Children’s Representations of God in Drawings
Outline of the Presentation
Definitions
Anthropomorphism in the Representation of Gods: Cognitive and Developmental Perspectives
A Cognitive Perspective
A Developmental Perspective
Gender in Children’s Drawings of Gods
Influence of Cultural Representations in Children’s Drawings of Gods
Children’s Drawings of Gods from the Point of View of Attachment Theory
Emotionality in Children’s Drawings of Gods
Impact of Religious Education and Religious Socialization on Children’s Drawings of Gods
Ambivalence: Attributing Contradictory Properties Simultaneously to Signify a Being Beyond Any Categorization
Synthesis
References
Part II: Focus on the Main Figure: Anthropomorphic and Gender Features
Chapter 3: Children’s God Representations: Are Anthropomorphic God Figures Only Human?
Anthropomorphism in Religion
Cognitive Approaches to Religion
The Preparedness Hypothesis
Ontological Categories of the Divine in Childhood
The Semi-Propositional Nature of Cultural Representations
Concept Development: Children’s Cognition and Socio-Cultural Background
Categories and Domain-Specific Information
The Importance of Testimony in Children’s Development of Various Concepts
Complexity of God Figures: A View of Multiplicity
Un-Dichotomizing a Binary-Based Change and Calling into Question Non-Anthropomorphic-Abstract/Symbolic Connections
Types of God Representations and Their Multiplicity
Conceptual Hybridism: A Case for God Representations?
Anthropomorphic vs. Non-Anthropomorphic God Figures in Children’s Drawings of God
A Revised Developmental Perspective on Anthropomorphic God Representations: Progressive De-Anthropomorphization
What Is Meant by De-Anthropomorphization?
What Is the Developmental Course for De-Anthropomorphization of Children’s Representations of God?
General Scientific Rationale
Conclusion
References
Chapter 4: Humanness and Non-Humanness in Children’s Drawings of God: A Case Study from French-Speaking Switzerland
Current Research
General Rationale
Purpose of This Research
General Method
Data Collection
Participants
Materials
Procedure
Religiosity Measures
Predictor Variables
Religious Affiliation and Prayer Practice
Statistical Analyses
Study 1: Anthropomorphic vs. Non-Anthropomorphic God Figures: A Replication Study
Study 1: Aim, Objective, and Research Question
Hypotheses
Construction of a Model of Anthropomorphism in God Representations
Classification Procedure
Classification System in the Model
Results
Discussion
Study 2: Beyond Binaries: Empirically Testing Children’s Utilization of De-Anthropomorphization Strategies
Aim, Objective and Research Question
Hypotheses
Method
Assessment and Analyses
Familiarization with the Data, Inventorying and Sampling Down
De-Anthropomorphizing Strategies
Cross-Category
Within-the-Human-Figure Category: Features
Scission-Combination
Through the Background
Constructing a Model of De-Anthropomorphization
Samples
Scoring Procedure
Sample Characteristics
Results
Hypotheses Testing
Testing Hypothesis 1
De-Anthropomorphization
Testing Hypothesis 2
Developmental Patterns
Additional Considerations: Fundamental Graphic Techniques
Discussion
General Discussion
Limitations and Future Research
Practical Implications
Religious Education
General Teaching
Conclusion
Appendix
References
Chapter 5: Construction and Transgression of Gender Categories in Representations of Divine Figures: A Cross-Cultural Study of Children’s Drawings
Data Collection in Several Socio-Cultural and Religious Environments
Hurdles Faced by the Participants, Hurdles Faced by the Researchers
Forms of Normative Pressure and Transgressive Gender Typing
Gender Categories and Children’s Socio-Demographics
Data Sample
Gender Categories and Object of Study
Distribution of Gender Categories
Cross-Cultural and Inter-Faith Comparison on Feminine Figures
Gender of the Divine Figure vs. Gender of Participant
Developmental Aspects
Summary
Strategies Used by Children to Express Gender in Drawings of God
Masculine Divine Figures
Feminine Divine Figures
Androgynous Divine Figures
Undifferentiated Divine Figures
Summary
Discussion
References
Chapter 6: Where Gods Dwell? Part I: Spatial Imagery in Children’s Drawings of Gods
God’s Dwelling Place as Shown in Children’s Drawings: A Literature Review
Aims of the Study
Data Sample
Method
Drawing Task
Coding Drawings
Statistical Analysis
Results
Effects of Culture and Religion
Effects of Age
Effect of Children’s Gender
Effects of Religious or Regular Schooling Contexts
Discussion
Conclusion
References
Chapter 7: Where Gods Dwell? Part II: Embodied Cognition Approach and Children’s Drawings of Gods
The Embodied Cognition Approach and God Representation: A Literature Review
Aims and Hypotheses
Data Sample
Method
Drawing Task
Annotation
Statistical Analysis
Results
Control of Drawing Orientation and Composition Type
Location of the God Figure in Relation to the Midline of the Page
Predictors of an Up-Location of the God Figure
Distribution of God Figures Across Three Parts of the Page: Down, Middle, Up
Discussion
Conclusion
Limits of the Present Research and Potential Directions of Future Research
References
Part III: Focus on Material Features
Chapter 8: Automated Colour Identification and Quantification in Children’s Drawings of God
Colour in Religion
Colour in General Children’s Drawings Research
Colour in Children’s Drawings of Gods
Hypotheses and Aims
Method
Drawing Task
Sample
Automated Colour Identification
Data Analysis
Results
Number of Colours Used in Drawings
Country and/or Culture
Gender
Age
Type of Schooling
The Most Used Colours in the Whole Dataset
The Most Used Colours by Country, Gender, Age, and Type of Schooling
Country and/or Culture
Gender
Age
Type of Schooling
General Discussion
Conclusion
Limitations
References
Chapter 9: Computer Vision and Mathematical Methods Used to Analyse Children’s Drawings of God(s)
Method
Dataset
Features
Gravity
Colour Frequencies
Colour Organization
God Position
Anthropomorphism
Dissimilarities Based on Features
Clustering Based on Dissimilarities
Results
Anthropomorphism
Position and Gravity
Position
Gravity
Combination of Position and Gravity
Colour
Colour Frequencies
Colour Gravity
Colour Organization
Combination of Features Directly Extracted from the Drawing
Combination of All Features
Correlation Between Numeric Features
Discussion
References
Part IV: Focus on Emotional Features and Attachment Style
Chapter 10: Emotional Expression in Children’s Drawings of God
The Development of Expressive Drawing and Individual Differences
The Case for Studying Emotional Expression in Children’s Concept of God
Research on Children’s Drawings of God
A Quantitative Examination on the Intensity and Valence of Emotional Expression in Children’s Drawings of God
Narrative Account of God and Theological Themes
God is Sovereign and Ineffable
God the Creator
God Is Love, Peace, Watching over Us
God Is Angry and Punishing
Jesus’ Crucifixion and/or Sacrifice
God Is Our Friend, Our Guide
Heaven and Hell
Discussion
References
Chapter 11: Different Attachment Styles in Relation to Children’s Drawings of God: A Qualitative Exploration of the Use of Symbols in a Dutch Sample
Theoretical Framework: God Representations and Attachment Theory
Attachment Relationships and Religion
Children’s Drawings of Gods and Attachment
Empirical Research: Process, Findings, and New Questions
Comparing Drawings by Securely and Insecurely Attached Children: A Qualitative Analysis
Research Questions, Hypotheses and Attachment Questionnaire
Method
Results
Images
Discussion and Conclusion
References
Part V: Focus on Specific Cultural Contexts
Chapter 12: Iranian Children’s Drawings of God: Demographic and Contextual Considerations
Method
Population and Sample
Instruments
Procedure
Data Analysis Methods
Ethical Considerations
Results
Discussion
Children’s Representations of God
Representations of God in Terms of Child’s Gender
Children’s Representations of God in Terms of Their Age
Children’s Representations of God in Terms of Their Social Environment
Masculinity-Femininity of the Representation of God in Terms of Participant’s Gender and Age
Overall Conclusion
Appendix: Samples of Themes and Examples of Masculine or Feminine God Representations
References
Chapter 13: The First Discoveries and the Challenges of Researching Representations of Gods in a Continental Country Such as Brazil
A Brief History of the Collection of Drawings in Brazil
The Particularities of the Brazilian Educational Context
Religion in Brazil
The Collection of Drawings
Results
The Guajajaras Sample
Main Challenges and Prospects for the Future
References
Part VI: Focus on Non-Representability and Prohibition
Chapter 14: Biblical Aniconism? Representing the Gods of Ancient Israel and Judah
Should One Set Aniconism and Iconism in Opposition?
Evidence for Images of Yhwh in Israel and Judah
Representations of Yhwh in the North (Israel)
Representations of Yhwh in the South (Judah)
Iconism and Aniconism
The Rise of Judaism and the Rise of Aniconism
To Conclude
References
Chapter 15: The Representation of God in Islam and Its Prohibition: Strategies Used by Iranian Children When Asked to Draw God
The Islamic Prohibition Against Representing Allah
The Question of Images in the Hadiths (The Prophetic Words and the Words of the Imams)
Hadiths
The Literature
Studies Done in Iran Concerning Children’s Understandings of Religious Concepts
Studies on the Comprehensions of Religious Concepts
Studies on Children’s Understandings of the Concept of God
Studies on the Norm and Children’s Understandings of the Prohibition to Draw God
Iranian Children’s Drawings of God: Context, Research Question, and Hypotheses
Drawing of Prophets and Imams
Research question
Methods
Educational and Cultural References (Textbooks and Other Media)
Step One
The Media (Television)
Step Two
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
Websites Consulted (Last Viewed 5 March 2019)
Appendix
References
Part VII: Focus on Comparison with Other Supernatural Agents
Chapter 16: Natural and Supernatural Agents: Children’s Representations of Gods and Dead Entities
A Theoretical Approach to Explore Children’s Drawings
The Use of Graphical Representations in Two Methodological Designs
Study 1: Children’s Comprehension of Human Death
Study 2: Children’s Drawings of Gods
The Gods and the Dead on a Sheet of Paper
What Did They Draw?
Where Did They Draw Them?
How Did They Draw Them?
Final Comments
References
Part VIII: Focus on the Research Process
Chapter 17: “Equipping Work” and the Production of a Large-Scale Digital Infrastructure: An Ethnographic Inquiry into the Children’s Drawings of Gods Project
The Sociological Study of Knowledge Infrastructures
Studying “Infrastructures-in-the-Making”
Invisibility and Infrastructural Inversion
Data and Knowledge Infrastructures
New Challenges
Methodological Approach
From Drawings to Data: Some Steps on the “Long and Winding Road” of Equipping Work
Producing “Raw” Data
Producing “Objective” Descriptors
Conclusion
References
Chapter 18: Brief History of the Database Children’s Drawings of Gods (2015–2019)
State of the Database in 2015
Problems of the Architecture of the SQL Database and Their Influence upon the Research Project
Two Options of Resolving the Structural Problems of the SQL DB
The State of the Database in February 2019: The New Database Structure
Future Development and Open Questions
References
Chapter 19: Interdisciplinarity, Team Science, and the Next Generation of Researchers: The Children’s Drawings of Gods Project Experience
Complexity, Interculturality, and Digital Humanities in the Children’s Drawings of Gods Project
Interdisciplinarity
From Disciplinarity to Transdisciplinarity
Positioning
Interdisciplinarity in Action
Team Science
Researcher Profiles
Conclusion
References
Part IX: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Drawings of Gods: Challenges, Achievements, and Perspectives
Chapter 20: Interdisciplinary Approaches to Children’s Drawings of Gods: Challenges, Achievements and Perspectives
Main Results for the Study of Children’s Representations of God
Contributions and Limitations of the Methodology of Drawings for Studying Children’s Representations of God
Benefits and Limitations of Interdisciplinary Approaches That Combine Computer Vision, Database Management, and Developmental Psychology
New Perspectives
In the Field of the Sciences of Religions
In the Field of Religious Art
The Study of Creativity and Creative Processes
Developmental Psychology and Developmental Norms
Conclusion
References
Appendix: Index of the Project Database Images

2023-01-12