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Cognitive style, working memory and learning behaviour and attainment in school subjects
Richard J Riding1, Michael Grimley, Hassan Dahraei
1Assessment Research Unit, School of Education, University of Birmingham, UK. R.J.Riding@bham.ac.uk
The British Journal of Educational Psychology
|June 28, 2003
Summary
Working memory and cognitive style interact to influence learning behavior, with specific impacts on analytical learners and verbalizers. Subject performance also varied based on gender, memory, and cognitive style interactions.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Working memory capacity and cognitive style independently impact academic task performance.
- The interactive effects of working memory and cognitive style on learning have not been previously explored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the interplay between working memory, cognitive style (Wholist-Analytic and Verbal-Imagery), and gender.
- To examine how these factors influence overall learning behavior and academic achievement across various school subjects.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 206 Year 8 pupils (13-year-olds) participated in the study.
- Working memory efficiency was assessed using the Information Processing Index.
- Cognitive styles were measured using the Cognitive Styles Analysis, and learning behavior and subject attainment were rated by tutors and teachers.
Main Results:
- Significant interactions were found between working memory capacity and cognitive style for overall learning behavior.
- Analytical learners showed greater sensitivity to working memory differences than Wholists.
- Verbalizers were affected by working memory, unlike Imagers, and subject performance varied by gender, memory, and style.
Conclusions:
- Cognitive style differences influence information-processing demands, affecting learning.
- Understanding these interactions can inform strategies for enhancing educational outcomes and learning performance.