Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies: Understanding Style Differences in Learning and Behaviour.

Riding, R. J. and Rayner, S.G. (1998) Cognitive Styles and Learning Strategies: Understanding Style Differences in Learning and Behaviour London, David Fulton Publishers, ISBN: 1-85346-480-5 217pp $29.95

It is always "in style" to talk about cognitive styles and learning strategies. Here we have one more book on that topic written by Richard Riding and Stephen Rayner. The book presents an analysis of cognitive style and learning strategies in Part 1 and style and behavior in Part 2.

In the first part of the book the authors give special consideration to the development of theory of cognitive style and strategic learning. They discuss the concept of individual differences and the categorization of cognitive style, as well as relationships between cognitive style, learning strategies and learning preferences.

In the second part of the book the authors discuss the relationship between style and behavior. They attempt to explain the connection between style and brain activities (hemispheric specialization) and how style affects decision making and social behaviour. In considering the nature of cognitive style as distinct from ability, the authors highlighted four distinguishing characteristics: (1) ability is more concerned with level of performance, while style focuses on the manner of performance; (2) ability is unipolar while style is bipolar; (3) ability has value attached to it such that one end of an ability dimension is valued and the other is not, while for a style dimension neither end is considered better overall; (4) ability has a narrower range of application than style.

In discussing cognitive style and problem behaviour the authors raise many important questions about: (1) how style affects pupil behaviour in school and which styles of pupils are likely to refuse school; (2) the relationship between style and personality and between style and psychoticism; (3) the ways style can influence the development of more effective pedagogy.

The book contains a critical review of research on cognitive style. The authors attempt to make sense of the wide range of labels that have been applied to style. They consider the nature of cognitive style and argue that style dimensions can be grouped into two basic families: the wholist-analytic dimension and the verbal-imagery dimension. According to the authors the wholist-analytic style family includes style measures which assess whether an individual tends to organize information into wholes or parts. The verbal-imagery style family comprises measures whether an individual is inclined to represent information during thinking verbally or in mental pictures.

The authors make a distinction between cognitive style and learning strategies, where the former is more innate ("in-built") and the latter learned as a way of adapting to situations for which one's natural cognitive style is not ideal. These findings are very important for education. They mean that individuals can develop learning strategies to deal with learning material that is not initially compatible with their cognitive style. They also mean that strategies can be learned and modified, while cognitive style is a relatively fixed, core characteristic of an individual. On the basis of these research findings the authors state that learning strategies are formed as a part of the response within the individual to meet the demands of the environment.

Learning strategies may thus be seen as cognitive tools, which are particularly helpful for successfully completing a specific task. This approach leads to the concept of strategic learning. It means that individuals will find that there are situations for which their cognitive style is not ideally suited. That is why it can lead them to prefer one mode of presentation over another. This in turn will lead to the development of a strategy of translating learning material into the preferred mode wherever possible.

Cognitive style has a number of applications and the authors gave examples of these that we can find in education and training, such as school development and designing integrated learning systems, and facilitating personal development. While there is evidence to support the notion of the style, the authors are well aware that a number of issues remain and require further research. Future investigations should examine the sources of style and the relationship between psychological measures and style. We also need a better understanding of the nature of the interaction between prior experience and style as well as the connection between cultural differences and style.

According to the authors much of the work on style to date has been exploratory in nature-"mapping the ground" and the next stage is now required ".... to systematically investigate the aspects, nature, role, relationship to other constructs and practical applications of style. This should significantly advance the understanding of individual differences and indicate the extent of the practical importance of style." (p. 190)

Although this book is not directly related to giftedness and creativity it may be of interest for those readers who are interested in better understanding creative performance from the stand point of cognitive style. In addition to this, I would say, that further research should closely investigate the relationships between cognitive style, giftedness and creativity. For example, is creativity more related to the wholistic-analytic dimension or the verbal-imagery dimension?

The relationships reported between the style dimensions and behaviour in this book are consistent with the view that the wholistic-analytic dimension is more concerned with organization, and the verbal-imagery dimension with representation. Further research should also address how these two dimensions, separately or together, influence creative behavior and giftedness. We need to know more about the development of learning style in the gifted population. I am wondering if cognitive styles directly contribute to creative performance. Do they bear the same relationships to the emergence of giftedness?

In conclusion I feel that this book combined the views of respected scientists' and the authors' own research results on the main dimensions of cognitive style. The research evidence provided in the book is extensive: throughout the book graphics of the experimental results are presented to help readers understand the intricate schemes and relationships between different variables.

As the authors claim: "The content of the book has relevance for a wide audience. It contains a message for teachers and trainers that could improve their effectiveness. It provides insights into personal and professional behaviour for counselors and personnel professionals. It also gives a framework for future research for psychologists and educators who are interested in new findings in this area".

Reviewed by Petar Stojakovic a Visiting Scholar at Simon Fraser University (Canada). As a professor of educational psychology his specialty is instruction in learning and the development of learning abilities and creativity of gifted students through the teaching process.