Cognitive Style and Interpersonal Behavior: A Review with Implications for Human Relations Training

Abstract

We can increase the effectiveness of human relations training (HRT) by recog nizing the differential effectiveness of various kinds of training with different "types" of participants. This article helps to explain why one kind of HRT may be effective for some. people yet unproductive for others. The individual difference variable explored here is the cognitive style knowm as field-dependence-indepen dence (FDI). The literature on FDI is reviewed for two purposes: (1) to under stand interpersonal behavior in the HRT setting better and (2) to hypothesize the relationship s that might make for successful or unsuccessful matches between participants of varying cognitive styles and HRT programs of varying degrees of structure. FDI has been found to be a crucial differentiating variable in determining the effectiveness of matching strategies in the fields of education and psychotherapy. Two questions are (1) Are participant satisfaction and learning influenced by cognitive style? (2) What behaviors or interpersonal styles might we expect from persons of varying cognitive styles?