This dissertation identified and addressed four of the unresolved issues pertaining
to the proposition that nonabsolute/ relativistic (N/R) thinking is one of the possible
unifying commonalities underlying the selected models of postformal reasoning, namely
Problem Finding, Dialectical Reasoning, Relativistic Operations and Reflective
Judgment.
A total of 254 participants aged 10 to 48 and attending Grade 5 to doctoral studies
were involved. Each participant was administered eight tests in pencil-and-paper format
to measure eight different constructs of thinking. Different specific hypotheses were
evaluated through different statistical approaches.
The four identified issues were addressed as follows:
Firstly, nonabsolute/ relativistic thinking was reconceptualized and operationally
defined as a multidimensional and multilevel construct. Two dimensions were proposed:
the basic form and the epistemic view. Within the basic form dimension, two levels were
proposed: the formal and the postformal forms.
Secondly, a battery of three tests was specifically designed by Arlin and the
author to measure the different dimensions and levels of nonabsolute/ relativistic
thinking.
Thirdly, strong empirical evidence was obtained supporting the general
hypothesis that nonabsolute/ relativistic thinking is a possible unifying commonality
underlying the four selected postformal models. Within the construct of nonabsolute/
relativistic thinking, two dimensions, the basic form and the epistemic view, can be
differentiated as hypothesized.
Fourthly, empirical evidence was also obtained supporting the general hypothesis
that nonabsolute/ relativistic thinking is an instance of both formal and postformal
reasoning. Specifically within the basic form dimension, two qualitatively different
forms, the formal and the postformal, can be differentiated as hypothesized. Findings
also suggested that the development of a nonabsolute epistemic view might play a crucial
role in the development of the postformal form. Therefore, the emergence of the
postformal form can be explained by a paradigm shift from an absolute to a nonabsolute
epistemic view. Performances in the tests of the postformal form and of the epistemic
view in combination were found to be good predictors of performances in the selected
postformal tests.
Significant implications of the findings are that nonabsolute/ relativistic thinking
represents a form of metamorphosis from closed-system to open-system thinking and it
might serve as a potential springboard in the development of higher order thinking.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:BVAU.2429/8746 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Yan, Bernice Lai-ting |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Relation | UBC Retrospective Theses Digitization Project [http://www.library.ubc.ca/archives/retro_theses/] |
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