Determinants of Preschool Teachers' Knowledge-Sharing Behavior from a Thinking Style Perspective

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• Knowledge sharing is crucial for preschool teachers' professional development and innovation.
• Understanding factors influencing knowledge sharing is vital for improving early childhood education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore factors influencing preschool teachers' knowledge-sharing behaviors.
• To examine the role of thinking styles in knowledge sharing.
• To analyze influences within interpersonal and internet sharing contexts.

Main Methods:

• A questionnaire survey administered to 297 preschool teachers.
• Utilized the Norm Activation Model and partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).
• Investigated the impact of thinking styles on awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, personal norms, and knowledge-sharing behavior.

Main Results:

• Personal norms significantly influence knowledge-sharing behavior.
• Awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility positively impact personal norms.
• Thinking styles (executive and legislative) moderate the relationships between psychological factors and sharing behaviors, with differences observed between interpersonal and internet sharing.

Conclusions:

• Preschool teachers' knowledge sharing is influenced by their thinking styles and psychological norms.
• Interventions should consider individual thinking styles to enhance knowledge sharing.
• Findings offer insights for improving knowledge sharing practices in early childhood education.