The Relationship Between Cognitive Styles and Critical Thinking of Undergraduate Students at Surindra Rajabhat University

Authors

  • Wijittra Potisarn Information Communication and Technology for Education, Surindra Rajabhat University
  • Prachit Intaganok Information Communication and Technology for Education, Surindra Rajabhat University
  • Nootjaree Boonget Information Communication and Technology for Education, Surindra Rajabhat University
  • Udom Homkum Information Communication and Technology for Education, Surindra Rajabhat University

Keywords:

Cognitive Styles, Critical Thinking, Relationship

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the relationship between the cognitive styles and critical thinking of undergraduate students at Surindra Rajabhat University. The sample group was the first-year undergraduate students at Surindra Rajabhat University in the first semester of academic year 2018. There were 317 students which were collected by cluster random sampling. The instruments used in this research were a cognitive style test and a critical thinking ability test. The cognitive style test separated three styles of student thinking processes. These include an analytical style, a categorical style, and a relational style. The reliability of the cognitive style test yielded Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.709. Moreover, the critical thinking ability test could measure the levels of five critical thinking abilities namely inference making, recognition of assumptions, deduction, induction, and evaluation of arguments. The reliability of the critical thinking ability test was analyzed by the Lovett method at an 80 percent cut point which presented a score of 0.910. The data were analyzed by means, standard deviation, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multiple regression analysis. The results of the research were as follows: The mean score of the critical thinking ability of students was 14.11 (S.D. = 2.473). The correlation coefficients of the variables found that the analytical style had a significant with the categorical style and the relational style but negative relationship at the .01 level. The categorical style had a significant with relational style but negative relationship at the .01 level. However, the correlation coefficients between cognitive styles and critical thinking showed that the analytical style and the categorical style had a significant with the critical thinking with a positive relationship at the .01 level while relational style had a significant with the critical thinking but had a negative relationship at the .01. Furthermore, the multiple regression influence from cognitive styles to critical thinking found that the three variables of cognitive styles that are important predictors of critical thinking gave a figure of 40.59%.

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Published

2019-08-29

How to Cite

Potisarn, W., Intaganok, P., Boonget, N., & Homkum, U. (2019). The Relationship Between Cognitive Styles and Critical Thinking of Undergraduate Students at Surindra Rajabhat University. Journal of Graduate School, Pitchayatat, Ubon Ratchathani Rajabhat University, 14(2), 198–206. Retrieved from https://so02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/Pitchayatat/article/view/221447

Issue

Vol. 14 No. 2 (2019): May - August

Section

Research articles

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