AN EXPLORATORY STUDY OF WITKIN'S DIMENSION IN RELATION TO SOCIAL CLASS, PERSONALITY FACTORS AND PIAGETIAN TESTS

Abstract
The research explores the relationships between the cognitive variables, as measured by Piagetian tests and standard Raven Matrices, and Witkin's Field-dependence/independence dimension (FD-FID). The association between sex, social class, and the personality variables, as assessed by the Children's Personality Questionnaire (CPQ) devised by Porter and Cattell, with the Witkin's dimension is also investigated. The sample consisted of sixty children of 11 to 12 years of age from two primary schools in Wales. The results show that there are significant correlations between Witkin's dimension and the cognitive variables including factor B of CPQ. However, no significant correlations were found between the personality traits and Witkin's dimension. There was a significant difference (p < 0.1) between the two social classes; middle-class children performed better than working-class children; but no significant difference was found between the boys and girls.