| This study addressed two problems associated with cognitive style. First, to determine whether various cognitive style dimensions could be consolidated into a smaller number of more parsimonious factors, this study examined the relationships among six well-known cognitive styles (field independence/dependence, tolerance for ambiguity, cognitive complexity/simplicity, reflectivity/impulsivity, automatization/restructuring, and category width). Second, to evaluate the importance of cognitive style in an educational context, this study investigated the contribution of cognitive style to understanding science, once cognitive developmental level and critical thinking ability were removed.; Ninety-nine 11th-grade students from three high schools in a large West Texas school district volunteered to complete the necessary instruments for this study. Factor analysis was used to determine which cognitive style dimensions might be consolidated. Results indicated that both self-reporting and ability measures of reflectivity contributed to one factor (named deliberation) with some contribution from field independence, that automatization and broad categorizing contributed to a second factor (named assimilation), and that tolerance for ambiguity, field independence, and cognitive complexity contributed to a third factor (named flexibility).; To evaluate the educational utility of cognitive style, multiple regression analyses were conducted with cognitive style, cognitive developmental level, and critical thinking ability used to predict understanding of science process skills. Cognitive styles alone accounted for up to 38% of the variance in understanding science process skills, but once cognitive developmental level and critical thinking ability were included, the contribution of cognitive style dropped to 3%. Critical thinking ability accounted for 60% of the variance, cognitive developmental level added 3%, and the cognitive styles restructuring and field independence collectively accounted for an additional 3% of the variance; accordingly, suggestions for the development of critical thinking skills and for modifications in the dimensions of cognitive styles were proposed. |
