learning-styles

LSRC reference Section 7
page 110/111
7.3
Sternberg’s theory of thinking styles and his
Thinking Styles Inventory (TSI)
Introduction
Robert Sternberg is a major figure in cognitive
psychology; he is IBM professor of psychology and
education at Yale University and was president
of the American Psychological Association in 2003/04.
His theory of mental self-government and model
of thinking styles (1999) are becoming well known
and are highly developed into functions, forms, levels,
scope and leanings. He deals explicitly with the
relationship between thinking styles and methods
of instruction, as well as the relationship between
thinking styles and methods of assessment. He also
makes major claims for improving student performance
via improved pedagogy.
Table 39
Summary of styles
of thinking
Source: Sternberg (1999)
Functions
Legislative
Executive
Judicial
Levels
Global
Local
Forms
Monarchic
Hierarchic
Oligarchic
Anarchic
Scope
Internal
External
Leanings
Liberal
Conservative
Definition, description and scope of the model
Sternberg is keen to distinguish between style
and ability. An ability ‘refers to how well someone
can do something’. A style ‘refers to how someone
likes to do something’. A style therefore is ‘a preferred
way of using the abilities one has’ (1999, 8). ‘We do
not have a style, but rather a profile of styles’
(1999, 19; original emphasis).
In his book on Thinking styles (1999), Sternberg used
the two terms ‘thinking styles’ and ‘learning styles’
as synonyms; for example (1999, 17): ‘Teachers
fail to recognise the variety of thinking and learning
styles that students bring to the classroom and
so teach them in ways that do not fit these styles
well.’ However, by 2001, Sternberg was making clear
distinctions between learning, thinking and cognitive
styles. In more detail, he conceptualised ‘learning
styles’ as how an individual prefers to learn by reading,
for instance, or by attending lectures. ‘Thinking styles’
are characterised as ‘how one prefers to think about
material as one is learning it or after one already
knows it’ (Sternberg and Zhang 2001, vii). ‘Cognitive
styles’ are described as the ‘ways of cognizing (sic)
the information’ (Sternberg and Zhang 2001, vii)
by being impulsive and jumping to conclusions,
or by being reflective. Cognitive styles are considered
by Sternberg to be closer to personality than either
thinking or learning styles.
Sternberg’s theory of thinking/learning styles is
derived from his theory of mental self-government,
which is based on the metaphorical assumption
(for which no evidence is offered) that the kinds
of government we have in the world are not merely
arbitrary or random constructions, but rather
‘in a certain sense are mirrors of the mind … on this
view, then, governments are very much extensions
of individuals’ (1999, 148). Sternberg chooses four
forms of government: monarchic, hierarchic, oligarchic
and anarchic, but not democratic or dictatorial.
No explanation is given as to why these four forms
of government have been chosen and others excluded.
His theory is constructed from three functions
of government (legislative, executive and judicial);
four forms (monarchical, hierarchical, oligarchic and
anarchic); two levels (global and local); the scope
of government which is divided into internal and
external; and leanings (liberal and conservative).
Each of these aspects of government is considered
necessary for the management of the self in everyday
life. Sternberg provides a diagrammatic summary
of his styles; he does not call it a taxonomy, but that
is what it amounts to (see Table 39).
A brief description of the 13 styles is given below.
1
Legislative people like to come up with their own ways
of doing things and prefer to decide for themselves
what they will do and how they will do it. This style is
particularly conducive to creativity: ‘In schools as well
as at work, legislative people are often viewed as not
fitting in, or perhaps as annoying.’ (1999, 33)
2
Executive people ‘like to follow rules and prefer
problems that are pre-structured or prefabricated …
executive stylists do what they are told and often do
it cheerfully’ (1999, 21). They are implementers who
like to follow as well as to enforce rules. They can often
‘tolerate the kinds of bureaucracies that drive more
legislative people batty’ (1999, 35).