Chinese participants, ranging in age from 4 years old to adult, were tested on their ability to select drawings to appropriately complete a positively or negatively charged drawing. Justifications for their selections were obtained, as well as their identification of the mood they perceived in the drawings. Comparing these responses with those of British participants on the same tasks (Jolley & Thomas, 1995) revealed that recognition of mood in pictures may be shown at an early age in both cultures. Performance on the completion tasks and reported justifications indicated, however, that Chinese children attend to mood metaphors in pictures at an earlier age than do Western children and have a less dismissive attitude toward scenes expressing sadness. Thus, comprehension of metaphoric expression may not develop at the same age across cultures. The greater emphasis on teaching technique within the Chinese art programme may facilitate the reading of pictorial metaphors.
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