Abstract:

The aim of this research is to identify the factors that influence the perception of the scientist’s gender and the desire to be a scientist. Therefore, in the research, the phenomenographic research method, which is one of the quality research methods, was preferred. The study included 377 girls who studied in 5-8 classes in the six high schools located in Konya center in the 2013-2014 teaching year. The data is collected through a Draw-A-Scientist-Test-DAST, open-end questions and semi-configured discussions. The data is analyzed using the content analysis technique. The study found that male scientist drawings were in the forefront, especially that visual media and written sources caused girls to draw male scientist. When studying the factors that cause girls to make the female scientist, the two main factors have been the reaction to traditional gender patterns and the desire to be a scientist in the future. While different interests, negative attitudes and negative self-perception factors are in the forefront in current research, negative examples from visual media, security concerns, the way the teacher presents the scientist and the traditional gender patterns have a negative impact on the desire to be a scientist, regardless of the gender of the scientist drawn by the student. While the interest and desire to be useful in the subjects of science, science and technology are in the forefront; the need for respect and recognition, the positive perception of self, the example of the favorite scientist, the positive influence of visual media, the factors of the student's gender, regardless of the gender of the scientist, appear to have a positive impact on the desire to be a scientist. The findings in this study disrupt the literary claim that "girl students draw the male scientist because they don't want to be a scientist."

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