5.7.1 Applying Sternberg’s Theory of Mental Self-Government to Explore Creative and Critical Thinking

Developing a survey (Preferred Styles of Thinking, PSoT), the following research questions guided this study: Applying Sternberg’s Theory of Mental Self-government (Grigorenko & Sternberg, 1997), in G/T experts’ view, what are preferred ways of thinking in people who think critically and creatively? Based on this theory, what are dimensions of critical and creative thinking, in terms of 13 styles of thinking? We applied criterion sampling (Jones, Torres, & Arminio, 2014) to select experts/participants in the field of gifted education, as follow: (a) being faculty members of universities that provide graduate programs for gifted education (b) having minimum of 20 publications (peer-reviewed journals and book chapters) in relevant areas. Based on the Theory of Mental Self-government (Grigorenko & Sternberg, 1997) and Threefold Model of Intellectual Styles (Zhang & Sternberg, 2005) as theoretical frameworks, we developed and used a survey to gather data from participants. In the first phase of this study, we applied first 10 steps of guidelines provide by McCoach et al. (2013) on the development of closed-form, multi-item, direct measures within the affective domain. In the next phase, we used the Qualtrics system to invite our expert to participate in our web-based PSoT survey. We applied repeated measure for both concepts. A paired-sample design was applied, as each scholar/participant (N=62) responded to the same items for critical and creative thinking. We applied Wilcoxon signed-rank test and Bonferroni-adjusted paired-sample t-tests. Further, structural equation modeling techniques (EFA) were used to examine the underlying factor structure of these concepts. Our paired-sample analyses provide evidence that in these experts’ view, individuals with creative mindset have more preferences towards tasks that allow for Type I and Type III thinking styles. In contrast, individuals with critical thinking mindset have more preferences towards tasks that allow for Type II thinking styles. EFA resulted in a 2-factor model for critical thinking and a 3-factor model for creative thinking. Applying various fit indices, for critical thinking, these two factors include: Factor I: Executive, Judicial, Local, and Conservative styles (Philosophical perspective of criteria-based thinking) Factor II: Legislative, Anarchic, Oligarchic, Global, and Liberal styles (Psychological perspective of critical thinking’s habits of mind) Applying various fit indices for creative thinking, these three factors include: Factor I: Legislative and Liberal styles (Aptitude for originality) Factor II: Anarchic, Oligarchic, and Global styles (Procedural flexibility) Factor III: Local and External styles (Making connections within a social context)

Author(s):

Mehdi Ghahremani
Purdue University
United States