Impact of Learning Styles on Air Force Technical Training: Multiple and Linear Imagery in the Presentation of a Comparative Visual Location Task to Visual and Haptic Subjects. Interim Report for Period January 1977-January 1978

A U.S. Air Force study was designed to develop instruction based on the supplantation theory, in which tasks are performed (supplanted) for individuals who are unable to perform them due to their cognitive style. The study examined the effects of linear and multiple imagery in presenting a task requ...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author Ausburn, Floyd B
Format Report
LanguageEnglish
Published 01.05.1979
Subjects
Cognitive Style
Instructional Design
Kinesthetic Perception
Military Personnel
Research Reports
Sensory Experience
Supplantation Theory
Tactual Perception
Technical Education
Visual Discrimination
Visual Learning
Visual Perception
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Summary:A U.S. Air Force study was designed to develop instruction based on the supplantation theory, in which tasks are performed (supplanted) for individuals who are unable to perform them due to their cognitive style. The study examined the effects of linear and multiple imagery in presenting a task requiring visual comparison and location to individuals of the visual and haptic perceptual types. (Visual type was defined as persons who react to their environment as spectators and whose main sensory intermediaries are their eyes. Haptic type was defined as normally sighted persons who react to their environment subjectively and who use their eyes as primary sensory intermediaries only when compelled to do so, preferring to rely on muscular sensations, kinesthetic experiences, and tactile impressions.) Subjects were drawn from 200 volunteers currently enrolled in undergraduate education courses. A battery of three instruments was used to classify subjects' cognitive styles. From the visual and haptic groups, forty visuals and forty haptics were selected at random and randomly split into two groups of twenty. One group of twenty visuals and one group of twenty haptics received a linear-image presentation of the experimental task. The other two groups received a multiple-image presentation of the experimental task. Results indicated that in this investigation, the haptic-cognitive-style individual's performance was improved by instruction based on the supplantation theory. The results of this preliminary investigation hold promise for instructional research with Air Force technical training personnel. (Author/BM)