ABSTRACT
Following the impact of Witkin's seminal writings, it has been demonstrated over the past 4 decades that each individual has a characteristic mode of perceptual functioning. This has been called field dependence-independence (FDI) cognitive style. The term cognitive is used because the style cuts across both perceptual and intellectual activities. "The cognitive style characterizes the person's cognitive functioning pervasively and it continues to characterize him [her] in a very stable way over time" (Witkin and Oltman, 1967). It has also been demonstrated that cognitive style may provide an index of hemispheric specialization and of type of personality. FDI cognitive style was introduced in Spain 10 years ago by Fernández-Ballesteros (1980) and has served as an important impetus for much of my own work in the field. Five sets of studies are described in this chapter: factor analytic studies; studies analyzing strategies; studies on suggestibility; tachistoscopic studies; and studies on hemispheric brain functioning.
