Assessment of Individual Differences in Preferences for Holistic-Analytic Strategies: Evaluation of Some Commonly Available Instruments

Abstract

Recently, it has become more acceptable to assume two different types of cognitive processes: analytic, rule-based, and sequential versus holistic, episode-based, or simply "nonanalytic." Results of both educational research and cognitive laboratory research suggest the presence of a holistic-analytic continuum of individual differences in cognitive functioning. The present investigation was designed to compare several potential measures of the holistic-analytic dimension. Evidence for construct validity comes from the convergence of measures that should theoretically assess the holistic-analytic dimension (i.e., sensing, intuiting, judging, and perceiving on Myers-Briggs Type Indicator; the left and right hemispheric preferences of the Human Information Processing Survey; and the Fact Retention, Methodical Study, Holist and Serialist scales of the Inventory of Learning Processes). Construct validity of the holist-analytic dimension was also supported by the divergence of measures assessing a dimension theoretically unrelated to the holistic-analytic construct (i.e., the introversion extraversion scales of the Myers-Briggs and the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire). Additional findings revealed a relationship between the Deep and Elaborative Processing scales of the Inventory of Learning Processes and the Integrated scale of the Human Information Processing Survey.

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