ABSTRACT
The chapter reports on the results of a mixed-methods study that was undertaken to examine how teachers with different personal epistemologies reasoned about a controversial ill-defined issue individually and with others in dyads. The results of the study showed that teachers used more cognitive statements to support their point of view when they thought alone and more cultural and emotional statements when they thought with others in dyads. Thus, based on the results, controversial ill-defined problem solving within a social context may trigger more emotional activity for an individual than when he or she thinks alone. It is recommended that future studies examine the relationship between epistemic beliefs and reasoning in a contextualized way by assuming an integrative approach so that emotions, epistemological beliefs, and cognition are considered systematically.
