The present study investigated the relationship between alternative measures of field dependence/independence. Two fundamental issues have centered around (a) whether field dependence/independence is a cognitive style or cognitive ability and (b) the use of multiple measures of the construct. Consistent with past research, the results tended to support a cognitive-ability interpretation but only when the Group Embedded Figures Test was the measure. Using the Portable Rod-and-Frame Test, results were more compatible with a stylistic interpretation. The implications of these findings for the operational measurement and application of the construct are discussed.
References
1.
AnastasiA. (1988) Psychological testing. New York, NY: Macmillan.
2.
ArthurW.Jr.BarrettG. V.AlexanderR. A. (in press). Prediction of vehicular accident involvement: A meta-analysis. Human Performance.
3.
ArthurW.Jr.BarrettG. V.DoverspikeD. (1990) Validation of an information-processing based-test battery for the prediction of handling accidents among petroleum product transport drivers. Journal of Applied Psychology, 75, 621–628.
4.
AvolioB. J.KroeckK. G.PanekP. E. (1985) Individual differences in information-processing ability as predictors of motor vehicle accidents. Human Factors, 27, 577–588.
5.
BarrettG. V.CabeP. A.ThorntonC. L. (1968) Relation between Hidden Figures Test and Rod and Frame Test measures of perceptual style. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 28, 551–554.
6.
CardyR. L.KehoeJ. F. (1984) Rater selective attention ability for appraisal effectiveness: The effect of cognitive style on the accuracy of differentiation among raters. Journal of Applied Psychology, 69, 589–594.
7.
CellarD. F.DurrM. L.HalsellS.DoverspikeD. (1989) The effect of field independence, job analysis format, and sex of rater on the accuracy of job evaluation ratings. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 19, 363–376.
8.
CronbachL. J. (1990) Essentials of psychological testing. San Francisco, CA: Harper & Row.
9.
DoverspikeD.CellarD.BarrettG. V. (1986) The Auditory Selective Attention Test: A review of field and laboratory studies. Educational and Psychological Measurement, 46, 1095–1103.
10.
GoldsteinK. M.BlackmanS. (1978) Cognitive style. New York: Wiley.
11.
GoodenoughD. R.OltmanP. K.CoxP. W. (1987) The nature of individual differences in field dependence. Journal of Research in Personality, 21, 81–99.
12.
GopherD. (1982) A selective attention test as a predictor of success in flight training. Human Factors, 24, 173–183.
13.
GopherD.KahnemanD. (1971) Individual differences in attention and the prediction of flight criteria. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 33, 1335–1342.
14.
GruenfeldL. P.ArbuthnotJ. (1969) Field independence as a conceptual framework for prediction of variability in ratings of others. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 28, 31–44.
15.
GruenfeldL. P.WeissenbergP. (1970) Field independence and articulation of sources of job satisfaction. Journal of Applied Psychology, 54, 424–426.
16.
GuilfordJ. P. (1980) Cognitive styles: What are they?Educational and Psychological Measurement, 40, 715–735.
17.
HardyR. C.EliotJ.BurlingameK. (1986) Factor structure of the shortened Children's Embedded Figures Test for different age groups. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 53, 179–185.
18.
HumphreysL. G. (1984) General intelligence. In ReynoldsC. R.BrownR. T. (Eds.), Perspectives on bias in mental testing. New York: Plenum. Pp. 221–247.
19.
JensenA. R. (1980) Bias in mental testing. New York: Free Press.
20.
JensenA. R. (1986) G: Artifact or reality?Journal of Vocational Behavior, 29, 301–331.
21.
KahnemanD.Ben-IshaiR.LotanM. (1973) Relation of a test of attention to road accidents. Journal of Applied Psychology, 58, 113–115.
22.
McKennaF. P. (1984) Measures of field dependence: Cognitive style or cognitive ability?Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 47, 593–603.
23.
McKennaF. P.DuncanJ.BrownI. D. (1986) Cognitive abilities and safety on the road: A re-examination of individual differences in dichotic listening and search for embedded figures. Ergonomics, 29, 649–663.
24.
MihalW.BarrettG. V. (1976) Individual differences in perceptual information processing and their relation to automobile accident involvement. Journal of Applied Psychology, 61, 229–233.
25.
OltmanP. K. (1968) A portable rod-and-frame apparatus. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 26, 503–506.
26.
PanekP. E.BarrettG. V.SternsH. L.AlexanderR. A. (1978) Age differences in perceptual style, selective attention, and perceptual-motor reaction time. Experimental Aging Research, 4, 377–387.
27.
RanneyT. A.PullingN. H. (1989) Relation of individual differences in information-processing ability to driving performance. Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 33rd Annual Meeting, 2, 965–969.
28.
RavenJ. (1983) The Progressive Matrices and Mill Hill Vocabulary Scale in Western societies. In IrvineS. H.BerryJ. W. (Eds.), Human assessment and cultural factors. New York: Plenum. Pp. 107–114.
29.
RavenJ. C.CourtJ. H.RavenJ. (1985) A manual for Raven's Progressive Matrices and Vocabulary Scales. London: H. K. Lewis.
30.
StoneE. F. (1979) Field independence and perceptions of task characteristics: A laboratory investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 64, 305–310.
31.
VernonP. A. (1983) Speed of information processing and general intelligence. Intelligence, 7, 53–70.
32.
WesmanA. G. (1965) Manual for Wesman Personnel Classification Test. New York: The Psychological Corp.
33.
WidigerT. A.KnudsonR. M.RorerL. G. (1980) Convergent and discriminant validity of measures of cognitive styles and abilities. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 39, 116–129.
34.
WitkinH. A.DykR. B.FatersonH. F.GoodenoughD. R.KarpS. A. (1962) Psychological differentiation. New York: Wiley.
35.
WitkinH. A.GoodenoughD. R. (1981) Cognitive styles: Essence and origins. New York: International Universities Press.
36.
WitkinH. A.OltmanP. K.RaskinE.KarpS. A. (1971) Manual for the Embedded Figures Tests. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.
