| Abstract | This study explored the factors influencing drawing ability for design students in higher education, with a focus on cognitive, psychological and contextual influences. While both traditional and current research have mainly focused the investigation on cognitive and perceptual aspects of drawing ability, this study broadened the scope by investigating how motivational, emotional and contextual factors contributed to students’ ability and performance within a drawing experience. Therefore, the study addressed the research question: How, and to what extent, do psychological and contextual factors, in addition to cognitive factors, influence students' drawing ability?
Building on a pragmatic orientation, a mixed-methods approach was adopted with quantitative and qualitative strands implemented concurrently within the same phase of the research process. Data were collected through three batteries of drawing tests, followed by semi-structured group and individual interviews. A total of 87 first-year undergraduate students from three East Midlands universities studying disciplines in the built environment and design industry participated in the study.
The findings derived from the drawing tests and interviews indicate that student participants' drawing ability is influenced by a complex and delicate interplay of cognitive, psychological, contextual factors. While cognitive potential in visual perception and reasoning played a fundamental role in the drawing performance, the data evidenced that psychological and contextual factors were equally, if not more, significant in determining the outcomes of the drawing performance as well as in shaping students’ drawing development and confidence.
There are multiple contributions to knowledge of this study. Conceptually, it redefines drawing as an activity shaped not only by technical or cognitive ability but also by psychological and contextual dimensions, reframing how drawing is understood in design education. It identifies a critical methodological gap in the empirical literature - an overemphasis on objective measures of drawing ability at the expense of subjective experience - highlighting the need for a more integrated and holistic research approach. In terms of research design, the adoption of a mixed methods Convergent Design represents an innovation in drawing ability research. This design enhances the robustness of the findings and provides a replicable model for future studies. Theoretically, the integration of three lenses - Human Cognition (Carroll, 1993), Mindset (Dweck, 1986–2017), and Human Agency (Bandura, 1977) - constitutes a foundational contribution. Brought into dialogue for the first time, these perspectives form an interdependent framework that captures the complex interplay of subjective, objective, and contextual factors in drawing ability, addressing both a literature gap and real-world pedagogical needs. Finally, the Model of Drawing Ability uniquely derived from this framework bridges micro and macro dimensions of drawing ability. It offers a holistic lens to examine both personal experience and measurable performance, providing a conceptually rich yet practically applicable tool for researchers and educators.
Both Model and findings have implications for drawing education, particularly in recommending pedagogical approaches that foster ability development and address psychological and contextual barriers to drawing learning. Future research directions on drawing ability are advanced for higher and secondary education to explore how teaching contexts shape students’ drawing ability development. |
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