Theories of college student and adult intellectual development have shown that learning to interpret, evaluate, and construct knowledge evolves in a developmentally predictable fashion, and have offered explanations for the difficulties some students face when asked to make their own decisions (Baxter Magolda, 1992; Belenky, Clinchy, Goldberger,…

Research examining the influence of collaborative learning experiences on students' intellectual development has been somewhat inconclusive and largely based on samples of white, traditional-aged college students. Using data from the College Student Experiences Questionnaire (Pace, 1990), the author examines this relationship for a random sample…

Education rests on the foundation of culture in the broadest sense of that word. How deeply and solidly that foundation has been laid down determines the size and solidity of the building that can be constructed on it. This applies in particular to higher education, which is by no means designed solely to offer just a body of specialized…

By investigating undergraduates' epistemological orientations and processes in academic and personal contexts, this study examined whether and how epistemological development in one context is related to development in another context. The focus of this particular study was on tension regarding the contextuality of epistemological development. The…

Compared Erwin's Scale of Intellectual Development (SID) and Allen's Paragraph Completion Instrument to enhance understanding of intellectual development according to the Perry scheme. Indicated that the SID-Dualism subscale held the most promise for discriminating between students at various levels of intellectual development, as measured by the…

Explored the relationship between cognitive development and perceptions of environmental press using the Allen (l983) Paragraph Completion Instrument and a version of the Classroom Environment Scale by Moos and Trickett (l974). Persons functioning at varying levels of cognitive development (dualism, multiplicity, late multiplicity, and relativism)…

Describes the initial validation of a new instrument and comprehensive rating manual designed to enhance the accuracy of measurement of the Perry scheme. (Author)

Examined rates of cognitive and psychosocial development and the influences of salient life experiences of traditional-aged college students. Results from 15 college students over one academic year suggest that intellectual and psychosocial developmental processes are not uniform, occur at discrepant rates, and are significantly affected by life…

Examines intellectual and metacognitive development of 300 male college students in a longitudinal design. Although the change in Dualism and Relativism confirmed previous research, Commitment, Empathy, and metacognitive measures followed a V-shaped discontinuous path. Intellectual and metacognitive development was found to vary with academic…

Reports on a study conducted to obtain indications of changes in mental level from high school through college and to investigate the relationship of cognitive level to SAT scores, college grades, and attrition. (PEB)

A student development instrument, the Scale of Intellectual Development (SID), designed to measure a model of cognitive development. Validated the instrument with a sample of college freshmen (N=3,321). Results suggest that the SID has promise as a student development instrument; however, additional validation evidence needs to be collected. (RC)

A study investigated the extent to which 210 college students' learning orientations were shaped independently and jointly by their academic and nonacademic experiences. Findings indicated that the two kinds of experience each made statistically significant and unique contributions to gains in intellectual orientation after controlling for…

The research of William Perry, the Harvard psychologist who documented cognitive growth in undergraduates, is summarized. Perry's theory is compared to Piaget's theory, and the view that Perry is an extension of Piaget is discussed. Also noted is the shift in locus of control and other measures that occur as students progress through Perry's…

The hypothesized central role of cognitive development in resolving moral dilemmas was examined in sixth grade and college-age females. Results indicated that sophisticated cognitive operations are a prerequisite to advanced moral judgments. (ST)

William Perry's description of college students' stages of cognitive development is condensed into four classification categories, which are explained and told in an animal allegory. This presentation clarifies the theory for teacher use. (MSE)