Sex of human figure drawings and sex-role orientation.

We examined the relationship between sex of human figure drawings and sex-role orientation as operationalized by the Bem Sex-Role Inventory. A significant relationship was found for the total sample (N = 756): "feminine" persons were more likely to draw a woman, whereas "masculine," androgynous, and undifferentiated individuals were more likely to draw a man. However, these findings were highly dependent on the drawer's sex. When separated into men (n = 309) and women (n = 447), no significant drawing patterns were found. Based on these findings and past research, recent and traditional conceptualizations concerning sex of figure drawings appear unsubstantiated.