ERIC Number: EJ1045706
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-Dec
Pages: 8
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1598-1037
EISSN: N/A
Diversity Beliefs and Postformal Thinking in Late Adolescence: A Cognitive Basis of Multicultural Literacy
Chang, Yevvon Yi-Chi; Chiou, Wen-Bin
Asia Pacific Education Review, v15 n4 p585-592 Dec 2014
The present study investigated the developmental relationship between cognitive thinking and diversity beliefs among late adolescents from a postPiagetian perspective. The participants were 762 Taiwanese undergraduates aging from 19 to 25 years. The Social Paradigm Belief Scale was used to assess three modes of cognitive development of late adolescents: formal, relativistic, and dialectical thinking. Regarding diversity beliefs, participants were administrated the adapted scale of multiculturalism and the adapted scale of color blindness. Results indicated that postformal thinkers scored higher than formal thinkers in multiculturalism and color blindness. Multiple discriminant analysis showed that the linear combination of multiculturalism and color blindness could discriminate between formal and postformal thinkers, which supported the prediction about the parallel relationship between development of postformal thinking and maturity of multiculturalism. This article provides an alternative approach of multicultural pedagogy in which fostering postformal thinking may promote the appreciation of diversity and thereby cultivate the growth of multicultural literacy.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Late Adolescents, Young Adults, Undergraduate Students, Student Attitudes, Cognitive Development, Cultural Pluralism, Multicultural Education, Rating Scales, Racial Attitudes, Discriminant Analysis, Thinking Skills
Springer. 233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-348-4505; e-mail: service-ny@springer.com; Web site: http://www.springerlink.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A