Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1992

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major

Communication

Major Professor

James A. Crook

Committee Members

David Schuman, Mark Miller, Edward Caudill

Abstract

Cognitive style can predict preference for science information according to findings of this research. The study used the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator to type 87 undergraduates on the Sensing-Intuitive scale and 82 undergraduates on the Thinking-Feeling scale. Students in the study with high continuous scores chose between pairs of medical news stories written to match characteristics of each of the four cognitive styles. Five pairs of medical articles presented information that emphasized either objective data or personal warmth; details or generalities; the present or the future; theoretical or concrete information; and practical or impractical information.

The results indicate that cognitive style influences preference for information, with Thinking types preferring information emphasizing objective data, while Feeling types prefer information emphasizing personal warmth. Thinking and Intuitive types prefer practical information, while Sensing and Feeling types prefer information that is impractical by comparison. Sensing types preferred more general information, while Intuitive types preferred the more detailed information. No significant differences were noted for the choices of Sensing and Intuitive, or Thinking and Feeling between information in the present or the future, or for information that is either theoretical or concrete.

No significant differences were found in comparing the preferences of Sensing and Intuitive types for information emphasizing objective data or personal warmth, or in comparing the choices of Thinking and Feeling types between detailed or general information.

Several main effects for gender and an interaction between gender and type were found with a two-way analysis of variance for cognitive style, gender, and choice of medical article. An interaction between Thinking-Feeling types and gender found that Thinking females and Feeling males prefer concrete information, while Thinking males and Feeling females prefer theoretical information. Females on both the Sensing-Intuitive scale and the Thinking-Feeling scale preferred information emphasizing personal warmth, the present and impracticality, while males on both scales preferred the opposite, selecting information emphasizing objective data, the future and practicality. No significant differences were found between choices by males and females on both scales for information emphasizing details or general information, or for theoretical or concrete information.

The results support the research hypothesis that cognitive style influences and can predict preference for scientific information.

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