The new object-spatial-verbal cognitive style model Theory and文档.pdfVIP

APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY Appl. Cognit. Psychol. 23: 638–663 (2009) Published online 31 May 2008 in Wiley InterScience () DOI: 10.1002/acp.1473 The New Object-Spatial-Verbal Cognitive Style Model: Theory and Measurement OLESYA BLAZHENKOVA and MARIA KOZHEVNIKOV* Department of Psychology, George Mason University, Fairfax, USA SUMMARY The current study challenges traditional approaches to Visual–Verbal cognitive style as a unitary bipolar dimension, and instead suggests a new three-dimensional cognitive style model developed on the basis of modern cognitive science theories that distinguish between object imagery, spatial imagery and verbal dimensions. The results of the confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated that the overall fit to the data of the new three-dimensional model of cognitive style was significantly better than that of a traditional model. Furthermore, based on the new theoretical model, we designed and validated a new self-report instrument assessing the individual differences in object imagery, spatial imagery and verbal cognitive styles, the Object-Spatial Imagery and Verbal Questionnaire (OSIVQ). Across a series of studies, the OSIVQ demonstrated acceptable internal reliability as well as construct, criterion and ecological validity. The current study supports the validity of an object- spatial-verbal cognitive style dimension and related measures when developed on the basis of modern cognitive science theories. Copyright # 2008 John Wiley Sons, Ltd. Cognitive styles refer to psychological dimensions representing consistencies in an individual’s manner of cognitive functioning, particularly with respect to acquiring and processing information (Ausburn Ausburn, 1978; Messick, 1976; Witkin, Moore, Goodenough, Cox, 1977). One of t