Common factors in five measures of cognitive style

A review of five measures of cognitive style suggested three underlying dimensions despite differences in the terminology and theoretical bases of these instruments. Consequently, factor analytic methods were used on five measures completed by a sample of 143 students and faculty: the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Gregorc Style Delineator, Decision Style Indicator, Learning Style Inventory, and Lifescripts. Results of this analysis identified three underlying factors consistent with predictions, i.e., a thinking/feeling dimension, an information-processing domain, and an attentional focus dimension. Implications for future psychometric research are discussed.

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