The alignment of mind style with four categories of registration in South African psychology

[摘要] ENGLISH ABSTRACT:This study explores the possible alignment between mind style and four specialization categorieswithin the profession of psychology. The Mind Style model of Anthony F. Gregorc, serving as akey to better understand an individuals' constitution, constitutes the theoretical underpinning ofthe investigation. The model divides specific perceptual and ordering qualities into fourmediation channels or mind styles: Concrete Sequential (CS), Abstract Sequential (AS), AbstractRandom (AR), and Concrete Random (CR).The Gregorc Style Delineator, an instrument measuring the perceptual qualities ofconcreteness and abstractness, and the ordering qualities of sequentialness and randomness, wasadministered to 68 students registered for the Clinical, Counselling, Educational, and IndustrialPsychology masters study programmes at the University of Stellenbosch.The primary research objectives included determining the mind styles of the fourspecialization groups, and ascertaining whether the four groups displayed distinguishingdominant mind style preferences. Secondary research objectives explored the relationshipsbetween and interactions with the words of the Gregorc Style Delineator and the fourspecialization groups. The reasons of the four groups for studying their chosen specializationfields were also noted. The data was analysed using the SPSS.Findings revealed no significant differences between the mind styles of the four groups.The Abstract Random mind style was found to be the dominant mind style for all four of thespecialization groups. The secondary research objectives similarly found no significant evidencein support of clear descriptive delineations between the four specialization groups. Regardingmind style, a perceptual-ordering aspect of personality, it would thus appear that psychologistsin-training, and therefore psychologists, are undifferentiated. On the whole the results of thisstudy indicate that psychologists in various registration categories are more similar than different.Recommendations were made for further study and research.

[发布机构] Stellenbosch University