skip to main content skip to footer

Epistemic Styles, Individuality, and World-View

Author(s):
Royce, Joseph R.
Publication Year:
1973
Report Number:
RB-73-69
Source:
ETS Research Bulletin
Document Type:
Report
Page Count:
52
Subject/Key Words:
Cognitive Style, Individual Characteristics, Personality, Philosophy, Psychology

Abstract

Individual epistemic styles (i.e, ways of knowing) of rationalism, empiricism, and metaphorism are seen as higher order personality integrators which are the primary determinants of individual differences in world-view. More specifically, variations in epistemic style hierarchies and their corresponding cognitive profiles reflect variations in cognitive (i.e., both abilities and styles) strengths and weaknesses. If rationalism, for example, is dominant in the hierarchy, this means the resulting worldview is based on an essentially thinking cognitive structure. Similarly, if we are considering a case of ultra-empiricism or metaphorism we have examples of perceptual or symbolic dominance respectively. This means the resulting world-view is based primarily on the processes of perceiving or symbolizing, even though some cognitions of the total set emerge from the processes of thinking as well. Thus, all world-views are encapsulated (i.e., less than the totality of reality). The precise form encapsulation takes depends primarily upon one's psychoepistemological profile. (52pp.)

Read More