Unresolved Issues in Research on Field Dependence-Independence

Moran, Aidan

doi:10.2224/sbp.1985.13.2.119

Cited by 12 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 34 publications

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“…Considering the distinction between FDI and general intelligence the question of what specific abilities FDI represents is crucial to fully understanding the construct, as emphasized by Moran (1985). Relative to this need for specification, Sternberg (1997) concluded, ''field independence is tantamount to spatial ability'' based on the work of MacLeod et al (1986) who analyzed two widely used measures of spatial ability with scores of FDI.…”

Section: Visuospatial and Executive Functioning In Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Field dependence–independence as visuospatial and executive functioning in working memory: implications for instructional systems design and research

Rittschof

2008

Education Tech Research Dev

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Field dependence-independence (FDI) has long been conceptualized and discussed as a cognitive style relevant to numerous educational approaches and outcomes. However, the FDI construct is most often measured as a cognitive ability, as opposed to a style, using instruments such as the Group-Embedded Figures test (GEFT) or the Hidden Figures Test (HFT). Specifically, FDI is typically measured as visuospatial ability and executive functioning in working memory. While measurement and use of FDI within psychological and educational research has often resulted in misleading or inconsistent discussion about cognitive styles, this review examines how the long history of FDI research continues to be relevant to contemporary instructional contexts. A broader recognition of FDI as ability is suggested in order to (a) better distinguish ability measurements from those of styles, (b) encourage a reinterpretation and awareness of theoretical connections among past studies that use instruments such as GEFT or HFT, and (c) highlight suggestions for future research and application, particularly with contemporary interactive multimedia learning tools.

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Section: Visuospatial and Executive Functioning In Working Memorymentioning

confidence: 99%

Field dependence–independence as visuospatial and executive functioning in working memory: implications for instructional systems design and research

Rittschof

2008

Education Tech Research Dev

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“…The disagreement among different studies might be accounted for by the use of different tests in the measurement of cognitive styles that, according to different authors (Moran, 1985;MacGavary, 1979), probably take into account different aspects of field dependence-independence and are related to different personal characteristics, especially for the different dimensions of intelligence. However, Raviv and Nabel (1990) have shown that, when scores on both the Embedded Figures Test and the Oltman portable rod-and-frame test are compared for adolescents, similar scores are obtained for both measures, with nonathletes being relatively more field-independent than athletes involved in various sports.…”

Section: Source Of Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Field Dependence-Independence of Male and Female Spanish Athletes

Caño¹,

Márquez²

1995

Percept Mot Skills

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We examined the field dependence-independence of Spanish athletes, 293 men and women (aged 18 to 23 years) active in individual and team sports, and nonathletes. Subjects were tested on the Group Embedded Figures Test. Analysis indicated that men active in team sports were more field-dependent than those non-involved in sports, and that team-sport women exhibited a higher field-dependence than individual-sport athletes or nonathletes of both sexes. Our data reflect a significant interaction between type of sport and sex.

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“…The most representative and frequently applied theory from the wholistic-analytic cognitive style family is the field independence-dependence cognitive style (FDI), based on Witkin's theory of psychological differentiation (Witkin et al, 1977) and cognitive restructuring (Witkin & Goodenough, 1981). However, similarly to other theories of cognitive style, FDI has often received criticism (for a review, see Messick, 1984;Tiedemann, 1989;Moran, 1985;Álvarez-Montero et al, 2018;Coffield et al, 2004;Curry et al, 1990;Cassidy, 2004;Kozhevnikov, 2007). Besides problems stemming from vague conceptualization, other theoretical shortcomings and a resulting range of frequently unrelated and unconnected dimensions (Kozhevnikov et al, 2014;Riding & Cheema, 1991;Sternberg & Grigorenko, 1997), the theory's main shortcoming is in insufficient evidence for its convergent validity.…”

Section: Old Controversymentioning

confidence: 99%

Analytic and Holistic Cognitive Style as a Set of Independent Manifests: Evidence from a Validation Study of Six Measurement Instruments

Lacko¹,

Prošek²,

Čeněk³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Cognitive styles are commonly studied constructs in cognitive psychology. It can be argued that measurement of these styles in the past had significant shortcomings in validity and reliability. The theory of analytic and holistic cognitive styles followed from traditional research of cognitive styles and attempted to overcome these shortcomings. Unfortunately, the psychometric properties of its measurement methods in many cases were debatable or not reported. New statistical approaches, such as analysis of reaction times, have been reported in the recent literature but remain overlooked by current research on analytic and holistic cognitive styles. The aim of this pre-registered study was to verify the psychometric properties (i.e., factor structure, split-half reliability, test-retest reliability, discriminant validity with intelligence and personality, and divergent, concurrent and predictive validity) of several methods routinely applied in the field. We developed/adapted six methods, and selected several types frequently applied in cognitive style research: self-report questionnaires, methods based on rod-and-frame test principles, embedded figures, and methods based on hierarchical figures. The analysis was conducted on 392 Czech participants, with two data collection waves. The results indicate that the use of self-report questionnaires and methods based on the rod-and-frame principle may be unreliable, demonstrating unsatisfactory factor structure and no absence of association with intelligence. The use of embedded and hierarchical figures is recommended. Because the concurrent and divergent validity of the methods did not correspond with the original two-dimensional theory, we formulated a new three-level hierarchical model of analytic and holistic cognitive styles which better described our empirical findings.

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Unresolved Issues in Research on Field Dependence-Independence

Cited by 12 publications

References 34 publications

Field dependence–independence as visuospatial and executive functioning in working memory: implications for instructional systems design and research

Field dependence–independence as visuospatial and executive functioning in working memory: implications for instructional systems design and research

Field Dependence-Independence of Male and Female Spanish Athletes

Analytic and Holistic Cognitive Style as a Set of Independent Manifests: Evidence from a Validation Study of Six Measurement Instruments

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