The present study examines the predictive power of socialization variables for thinking styles among adults in the workplace. One hundred and seventeen managerial personnel (aged between 18 and 55 years) in England responded to the Thinking Styles Inventory-Revised based on Sternberg's theory of mental self-government and to questions concerning two groups of socialization variables: overt and covert. The overt variables included demographic characteristics and actual work environments, while the covert variables were relevant to perceived work environments and self-rated abilities. Results indicated that covert socialization variables were more powerful than were overt variables in predicting thinking styles. The implications of these findings are discussed for ordinary managerial workforce, management leaders, organizational counselors, and for educators.