Hemispheric cognitive style: a comparison of three instruments

In this study, the author tested the reliability, concurrent validity, and predictive validity of three hemispheric cognitive style instruments: (a) the Preference Test (PT; R. Zenhausern, 1978), (b) the Polarity Questionnaire (PQ; B. E. Morton, 2002), and (c) the Wagner Preference Inventory II (WAPI II; R. F. Wagner & K. A. Wells, 1985). Participants were either teachers or teachers in training. The prediction criterion was in the area of teaching licensure. Scores on the PQ had extremely low reliability, and correlations with the PT and the WAPI II were not significantly different from zero. In addition, the PQ did not correlate with the licensure area. The author found that both the PT and the WAPI II had reasonable levels of reliability, and both instruments were able to explain a small percentage of the variance in the teaching licensure area. Using factor analysis of the PT, the author found a 7-factor structure, which suggests that hemispheric cognitive style might be decomposable into separate holist analytic and visual-verbal dimensions.