An Attempt to Create a Cognitive Style Scale for Upper Grade Elementary School Children (trial version)

Abstract

The present study aimed to create a children’s version of a cognitive style scale that can measure a tendency of object-visual, spatial-visual, and verbal thinking. A total of 197 children（4th and 5th graders）responded to the questionnaire, and we examined its reliability and validity. Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors: the “spatial-visual thinking” factor for processing spatial information and the “verbal and object-visual thinking” factor for processing verbal information and object information. Regarding the verbal and object-visual thinking factor, we speculated that cognitive styles were undifferentiated in childhood, thus, cognitive styles related to verbal and object information may have been extracted in a mixed manner. We confirmed its sufficient reliability and validity based on internal consistency and fit index.