UnDoes Art Activism Affect Pre-school Children’s Attitudes toward Individuals with Blindness?

We tested whether viewing an exhibition of works by artists with visual impairments had a positive effect on the attitudes of children viewing it towards individuals with blindness. The study involved children (N = 226) aged 4 – 6 divided into three groups: (1) who viewed the exhibition in the art gallery with a guide, (2) who viewed the exhibition in the art gallery on their own, (3) tested in a pre-school, without viewing the exhibition and without any knowledge about the exhibition (the control condition). We controlled participants’ gender and their familiarity with individuals with blindness. All children were asked to assess their attitude towards the persons who are blind (using a thermometer of feelings). Moreover, the children who visited the gallery assessed to what extent they liked the exhibition. We showed that visual art might be a tool for social change as the young gallery visitors had more positive attitudes toward people who are blind than children who did not view the exhibition. However, art activism affected pre-school children’s attitudes toward individuals with blindness only when young visitors explored the exhibition on their own.

本研究旨在探究观看视障艺术家（artists with visual impairments）作品展，是否会对观展儿童针对失明人士（individuals with blindness）的态度产生积极影响。本研究共纳入226名4~6岁儿童（N=226），将其分为三组：① 在讲解员陪同下于美术馆观展的组别；② 独自在美术馆观展的组别；③ 未观展且未接触过该展览相关信息的学龄前儿童，作为对照组（control condition）。研究控制了参与者的性别及其对失明人士的熟悉程度两类无关变量。所有儿童均需采用情感温度计量表（thermometer of feelings）完成针对失明人士的态度评估；此外，参与美术馆观展的儿童还需评价自身对本次展览的喜爱程度。研究结果表明，视觉艺术可作为推动社会变革的工具：相较于未观展儿童，现场观展的学龄前儿童对失明人士的态度更为积极。不过，仅当儿童自主探索展览内容时，艺术行动主义（art activism）才会对学龄前儿童针对失明人士的态度产生影响。