Witkin's dichotomous concepts of field-dependent and field-independent cognitive styles¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 1 claim (1 for) · 1 study (1 review), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 1 claim rests on one study

Description¶

The review presents Witkin's dichotomous cognitive-style concepts, derived from the orientation tests and the embedded figures test. A "field-dependent cognitive style refers to a way of organizing and processing information in which the field is seen as a single unit", including reliance on external references, while field independence treats objects as separate units with reliance on internal references. Witkin asserted these tendencies stay constant over time and appear under various conditions, and the review reports replicated findings linking them to distinct nonverbal social behaviors.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Requires performance on perceptual tests such as the embedded figures test to classify individuals as field dependent or field independent

Constraints¶

• The review states it is difficult to identify cognitive style using only this one set of dichotomous concepts, since many factors are involved in the formation of cognitive styles

Target Learners¶

• adult and college populations studied in Witkin's perceptual experiments

Target Learning Objectives¶

• describing individual differences in information processing and perception

Claims¶

• Witkin Orientation Tests Individual Differences Self Consistency [+M]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

• Use field-dependence-independence assessment to screen personnel in map-dependent institutions

Key Sources¶

• Tamaoka, Katsuo. (1985). Historical Development of Learning Style Inventories from Dichotomous Cognitive Concepts of Field Dependence and Field Independence to Multi-Dimensional Assessment. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED339729