Chapter - 3

METOHODOLOGY
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METHODOLOGY

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM :

Humanbeings bring meaning and organization into almost every

new encounter in the Physical or Social environment. Cognitive style is
“hypothetical construct, that has been developed to explain the process
of mediation between stimuli and responses. The term cognitive style
refers to the characteristic ways in which individuals conceptualize the
environment” (Goldstein and Blackman, 1978)
Witkin et al. (1962) described two aspects of cognitive style. One
they labelled field-dependent and other one field independent.
The term “field-dependent” was used to describe those who relied
relatively more on the visual field. The “field-independents” were those
who were relatively independent of the visual field.
Cognitive style research now forms a broad stream in
contemporary psychology. It represents a concern to study the interface
between cognition and personality. An important impetus for such
interest sprang from the New Look movement in perception.
The New Look movement had its beginning when a number of
psychologists took a critical look at the conventional approaches to
perception. Surfacing in 1949, the New Look stressed the role of the
individual in the act of perceiving.
The emphasis placed on an individual’s need, values and
personality structure viewed the act of perceiving as an adaptive process
in the psychological economy of the individual (Witkin, 1978). This
confluence of two streams of influence, one flowing from perception and
other from personality, took several directions at an empirical level. Here
in the present study, we are interested to find out the role of personality
in the cognitive styles.
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Despite a basic unity in the ethos of our culture there seem to be

much diversity as far as the constituents of our culture are concerned.
Variations in land, temperature and other environmental conditions
across the country present ecological contrasts,and variations in life
styles, social structures and familial compositions seem to be quite
obvious. These have some definite implications for differential
experiences. Thus ecological and socio-cultural variation exist in
different magnitudes. Examine the role of these socio-cultural variables
in cognitive style is the concern of the present study.
Thus, the problem of the present study—A study of cognitive style
in relation to personality and socio-cultural variables.

OBJECTIVES :
With the explanatory note above we can specify the objects of the
present study as follows :
1. To find out impact of locale on cognitive style of students.
2. To study impact of family structure on cognitive style of students.
3. To find out impact of gender on cognitive style of students.
4. To study impact of birth order on cognitive style of students.
5. To find out impact of socio-economic status on cognitive style of
students.
6. To study impact of caste on cognitive style of students.
7. To compare personality characteristics of field independent and
field dependent students.

HYPOTHESES:
The following hypotheses have been formulated in the light of the
above problem and objectives, which are envisaged to be tested in the
present study.
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1. Rural-Urban residential setting will significantly influence cognitive

style of students. Urban children will be more field independent in
comparison to rural children.
2. . Family structure (joint and nuclear) will have significant influence
upon cognitive style of students.
3. Gender will not significantly influence cognitive style.
4. First born students will differ significantly regarding cognitive style
in comparison to later born students.
5. Socio-economic status will not significantly influence cognitive
style of students.
6. Impact of caste on cognitive style of students will not be
significant.
7. Field independent and field dependent students will have
significantly different personality characteristics.

TOOLS :
The following tools were used to obtain relevant data in the study.
1 ^ Story Pictorial Embedded Figure Test
2. Children Personality Questionnaire
3. Personal Data Sheet

1. Story Pictorial Embedded Figure Test:

This test (SPEFT) is developed by D. Sinha (1984).
The Story Pictorial Embedded Figure Test has been designed to
study the competence of children in perceptual disembedding. Based on
the rationale of Witkin’s (1950) EFT and Van de Koppel’s (1977) test of
cognitive style respectively, this test provide more meaningful and
familiar stimulus material as compared to non-meaningful and unfamiliar
figures of the original test. A special feature of the test is that these are
like games where children are required to search for certain hidden
figures in a complicated familiar picture of a garden or a forest, etc.
Thus, the task becomes interesting and more challenging to the children,
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especially to those belonging to the rural and tribal areas. The basic task
is to locale or to disembed a given stimulus object or objects in a series
of complex pictures which contain it. Performance on this test reflects an
individual’s level of psychological differentiation.

Description of the Story Pictorial EFT.:

The Story Pictorial EFT is similar to Witkin’s EFT in nature and
task requirement with the difference that stories have been used to
make the task interesting and clear to the children. Familiar and
meaningful stimuli like birds, animals and human faces have to be
disembedded in a series of complex meaningful pictures.
The original form of the test consisted to ten sets, each set having
two cards, a complex and a simple card. The simple card contains the
multiple stimuli while the complex card contains a familiar setting in
which the stimuli are hidden. Each set is accompanied by a short story
related to the embedded stimuli. In addition, there is a practice card, P1,
of similar nature as the test cards.
Story Pictorial EFT is made for measurement of cognitive style of
student of age 7-8 years.

Administration of the Test:

The test is to be administered individually. While administering the
test, the experimenter should avoid rigid and stereotyped procedure and
should be sensitive to the child’s level of understanding. The child
should be ‘warmed up’ so that he/she is ready to take the test willingly.
The final form of the test consists of one practice set P, plus 8 sets
of test cards. Each set consists of one simple card containing the stimuli
and one complex card containing a familiar setting in which the stimuli
are embedded. The basic task is to locale the stimuli in the complex
card. Each set has a story related to the stimuli. This makes the task
more interesting and challenging to the children. The maximum time limit
is 90 seconds for each card.
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Scoring—Each stimulus which is successfully located is given a score

of one and the total score on the test is the total number of stimuli
located by the subject. Maximum score possible is 41 and minimum is
zero. Higher scores are indicative of field independent cognitive style.
Reliability—The reliability coefficient is computed by correlating odd and
even items and correcting by the Spearman-Brown formula. The
reliability coefficient of the test is 80.
Validity—The test is validated against Karp and Konstadt’s CEFT. The
correlation between the Story Pictorial EFT and C.E.F.T is .47.

2. Children Personality Questionnaire ;

Children Personality Questionnaire is originally developed by
Porter and Cattel (1968). Its Hindi adaptation is done by S.D. Kapoor
and Sharadamba Rao (1972).
Children Personality Questionnaire (CPQ) is made for
measurement of personality of children of age 8-12 years. The main
purpose of CPQ is to screen out the children from their schools, camps,
for individual attention and guidance those children who need help with
emotional, conflicts and behaviour disorders, or to locale individuals with
unusual temperamental sensitivity, needing careful handling. By this
early recognition many behaviour difficulties can be avoided or handled
before they harden into defensive habits and complications resistive to
treatment.
(Burt 1944, Cattel 1957, 1966, Devis 1971, Eysenck 1957,
Karsone 1965, Lessing and Smouse 1967, Pervin 1970, Pierson 1965).
The CPQ has four forms A, B, C and D. Each forms has 140
items. Each items (except the factor B) has a forced choice ‘Yes’ or ‘No’
answer.
• The CPQ measures 14 primary traits useful in understanding and
evaluating the course of personal, social and academic development
traits, related to creativity.
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These factors are as follows :

A Reserved - Warmheart
B Dull - Bright
C Affected by Feelings - Emotional stable
D Phlegmatic - Excitable
E Obedient - Dominant
F Sober - Enthusiastic
G Expedient - Conscientious
H Shy - Venturesome
1 Tough-Minded - Tender minded
J Zestful - Circumspect
N Forthright - Shrewd
0 Self-Assured - Guilt Prone
Q3 Undisciplined, Self-Conflict - Controlled
Q4 Relaxed - Tense
Time required is 30 to 60 minutes for completion.

Administration of the Test:

The test booklets and the separate answer sheets are given to the
children, who can use it properly. The children are told to write their
name, age, sex, class on the top of answer sheet. Instructions are given
and the information s regarding statements in booklets are collected in
the form of responses on the answer sheets.
Scoring—Scoring is done with the help of scoring key. The answer key
shows the correct answer to each item. One mark is given for each
correct answer.
Reliability—One week test - retest reliability coefficient for all factors of
this questionnaire range from .49 to .86.
Validity—Validity coefficient of this test ranges from .34 to .90.
Norms—Sten norms have been given.
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3. Personal Data Sheet:

The personal data sheet has been prepared by the researcher to
assess the socio-economic status of the students. This sheet consists of
14 items, of which first, second, third and fourth are not scored. The
remaining 10 items have multiple choice to respond to.
Scoring is done with the help of scoring key. One can score a
minimum of 8 and maximum of 28.
Higher scores are indicative of higher socio-economic status.

SAMPLE :

Total sample consisted of 200 primary school students of both sex

studying in class II, III and IV (age range 7-9 years) belonging to rural
and urban areas of Varanasi.

DESIGN :

This is an ex-post-facto research. Total sample (N=200) have

been subjected to Story Pictorial Embedded Figure Test (SPEFT). On
the basis of scores on this test two groups of field independent and field
dependent were formed and Children Personality Questionnaire (CPQ)
was administered to these two groups. Impact of socio-cultural variables
was assessed on cognitive style.

FIELD WORK:

For the purpose of data collection, the investigator firstaly

approached to the heads of the institutions from where she had to select
the sample of the study. She explained her problem to them and
administered SPEFT and CQP to the children individually. Personal data
sheet was also filled up with the information given by students.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS :
The responses to various tests were scored according to the
direction set in the manuals of the test and with the help of scoring key.
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Median was used as cut-point for field dependent (FD) and field
independent (FI) cognitive style scores. Means were computed for the
different sets of data in the present study and were presented through
bar diagram and profile of 14 Children Personality Factors, t-test was
applied to test the significance of mean difference of cognitive style
regarding different independent variables i.e. locale (rural-urban), family
structure O’oint-nuclear), gender and birth order (first born-later born),
t-test was also applied to test the significance of difference in personality
characteristics of field-independent (FI) and field-dependent (FD)
students.
One way analysis of variance treatment were given to the
dependent variables i.e. cognitive style to find out impact of socio­
economic status (high, middle and low) and caste (gen., obc, sc/st) on it.