Relationships between cognitive and temperament traits and the concept of "style"

Abstract

Examines certain cognitive-affective relationships by suggesting that they represent overlapping stylistic consistencies. First, literature is reviewed linking flexibility of closure with the objective test temperamental trait of Independence (U.I.19) as the major source trait underlying Witkin's conventional style of field articulation. Similarly, speed of closure is linked with Inhibition (U.I.17) as a more broad representation of the cognitive control, extensiveness of scanning. Finally, various fluency factor are linked with the source trait of Exuberance (U.I.21) underlying much creative activity. It is suggested that these three global styles are also represented by Royce's three "epistemic styles"; namely, rationalism, empiricism, and metaphorism respectively. It is reiterated that multivariate-theoretical analysis is necessary to further substantiate these suggestions of strong substantive and theoretical convergencies across methodologically divergent laboratories.