Date of Award

2001

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Human Resource Education and Workforce Development

First Advisor

Joe W. Kotrlik

Abstract

Underpinned on the theories of individual differences and the information processing paradigm, the author hypothesized that there were five different strategical information processing styles (SIPS) that individuals prefer to use when processing information. The five constructs are visuo-spatial, analytical, social, categorical, and verbal. Based on this hypothesis, the researcher developed a self-assessment instrument containing specific measurable descriptors for each of the five hypothesized constructs. However, in this study the empirical evidence verified only four strategical information processing styles: visuo-spatial, analytical, social, and categorical. Although the verbal style is theoretically appealing, it did not prove to be a valid construct in this study and was excluded from the final instrument. The final instrument was evaluated using a sample of 514, which was split into two groups. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed on the first group (n = 325) to develop a model. The model was confirmed using the second group (n = 189). The confirmatory factor analysis of the final model revealed acceptable convergent and discriminate validity with composite reliabilites ranging from .60 to .81. The absolute fit and the parsimony of the measurement model were acceptable. The incremental fit of the model was marginally acceptable. The chi-square difference test was not significant at p < .05. Therefore, the model was confirmed indicating that the theoretical model provided a fit to the data that was the same as the measurement model. Although limited to the participants in this study, gender differences were the most influential factor with regard to the strength of preference of strategical information processing styles. Females showed a stronger preference for the analytical, social, and categorical styles. Whereas, the male gender was a significant predictor of the visuo-spatial style. The strategical information processing style assessment should prove to be a useful tool for determining the strategies that individual students prefer to employ when processing information. These strategies should prove to be a useful asset in the dynamic workplace of the twenty-first century.

ISBN

9780493328393

Pages

170

DOI

10.31390/gradschool_disstheses.338

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