Students' Cognitive Styles in a Social Context : A Case Study on the Observation of Geological Strata

Abstract

We investigated students' individual cognitive styles of observation of geological strata in a social context. First, we examined the field-independent and field-dependent cognitive styles of the students. Then, we categorized the students'cognitive styles in their social context. The number of field-independent and field-dependent cognitive style students was equal. Next, the students organized themselves into pairs and observed strata for ten minutes, discussing their observations freely. We used four sheets of photographs on the strata in the Tertiary level, and we recorded these discussions. We analyzed first which cognitive style student the students chose as their partner: field-independent or field-dependent. As a result, we found that they chose students with a cognitive style different from their own. Next, we examined the observations of the students. Did they observe microscopically or macroscopically? We examined whether students with field-independent or field-dependent cognitive styles produced these observations. We paid special attention to students with field-dependent cognitive styles. All of them were students who had been categorized as such by their teachers. They were observing macroscopically. However, their actual cognitive style was field-independent. Their tendency for observation changed according to the social context in which the teacher placed them. Therefore, we concluded as follows: ・When two students participate in the observation of geological strata, they are influenced by the social context presented by a teacher and tend to choose student partners with a cognitive style different from their own. ・In the observation of geological strata, students with field-independent cognitive styles were influenced by the social context presented by the teacher and tended to observe macroscopically.