1. Approaches to Learning and the Acquisition of General Knowledge By Adrian Furnham, Andrew Christopher, Jeanette Garwood, and G. Neil Martin Personality and Individual Differences, Vol. 43,No. 6, Oct. 2007 Matt Albindia

2. Purpose of Experiment To determine the role of demographics, adopted learning styles, and personality traits in predicting a person’s general knowledge. To determine the role of demographics, adopted learning styles, and personality traits in predicting a person’s general knowledge.

3. Sample

4. Subjects 430 students from 4 universities in U.K. 430 students from 4 universities in U.K. 313 Female, 117 Male 313 Female, 117 Male Age Range 17 – 43 years old Age Range 17 – 43 years old 84% of subjects were between 18 – 20 years old 84% of subjects were between 18 – 20 years old Subjects were asked to complete 3 tests regarding Subjects were asked to complete 3 tests regarding 1. General Knowledge 2. Learning Styles 3. Personality

5. Experiment

6. Independent Variables Demographics Demographics Personality Traits Personality Traits Learning Styles Learning Styles

7. Dependent Variable General Knowledge General Knowledge

8. Theoretical Construct 1: Demographics Age Age Gender Gender

9. Theoretical Construct 2: Personality Operational Definition: A participant’s results on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory Operational Definition: A participant’s results on the Revised NEO Personality Inventory Measures the “Big 5” personality factors Measures the “Big 5” personality factors Neuroticism, Extraversion, Openness to Experience, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness 60 items 60 items Non-timed Non-timed Based on 5-point Likert Scale Based on 5-point Likert Scale

10. Theoretical Construct 3: Learning Styles Operational Definition: A participant’s results from an abbreviated version of the Study Process Questionnaire Operational Definition: A participant’s results from an abbreviated version of the Study Process Questionnaire Instrument designed to assess preference in different learning styles Instrument designed to assess preference in different learning styles 18 items 18 items 5-point Likert Scale 5-point Likert Scale Test recognizes 3 learning styles, each with its own corresponding motivational influences and study strategies Test recognizes 3 learning styles, each with its own corresponding motivational influences and study strategies 1. Surface: goal-oriented, not intrinsically motivated, “less is more” attitude 2. Deep: interested in obtaining a meaningful understanding of material, intrinsically motivated 3. Achievement: competitive in school, committed to getting good grades

11. Theoretical Construct 4: General Knowledge Operational Definition: A participant’s score on the General Knowledge Test Operational Definition: A participant’s score on the General Knowledge Test 72 item questionnaire 72 item questionnaire Focus on 6 main areas Focus on 6 main areas Literature, General Science, Medicine, Games, Fashion, and Finance Students are given 20 min. to complete Students are given 20 min. to complete

12. Hypotheses Demographics Demographics Older participants would have more general knowledge than younger participants Older participants would have more general knowledge than younger participants Personality Traits Personality Traits Openness to experience would be positively correlated with general knowledge Openness to experience would be positively correlated with general knowledge Learning Styles Learning Styles The surface approach to learning would be negatively correlated with general knowledge The surface approach to learning would be negatively correlated with general knowledge The deep approach to learning would be positively correlated with general knowledge The deep approach to learning would be positively correlated with general knowledge

13. Results Correlational Analysis of data

14. Results cont. Results showed that all 3 independent variables were related to general knowledge Results showed that all 3 independent variables were related to general knowledge Factors shown to be associated with high general knowledge Factors shown to be associated with high general knowledge age, openness to experience, a preference for the deep approach to learning age, openness to experience, a preference for the deep approach to learning Students that adopted surface learning styles tended to have lower general knowledge. Students that adopted surface learning styles tended to have lower general knowledge. Neither neuroticism, nor conscientiousness proved to be significant factors in general knowledge Neither neuroticism, nor conscientiousness proved to be significant factors in general knowledge

15. Possible Explanations Other research suggests that the well- established relationship between openness to experience and academic achievement is mediated by a deep approach to learning. Other research suggests that the well- established relationship between openness to experience and academic achievement is mediated by a deep approach to learning. Open people tend to adopt a deep approach to learning which results in greater general knowledge Open people tend to adopt a deep approach to learning which results in greater general knowledge Age was a predictor of general knowledge, which was expected because of the fact that crystallized knowledge goes up with age Age was a predictor of general knowledge, which was expected because of the fact that crystallized knowledge goes up with age

16. Improvements Authors believed that research would be better with longitudinal testing Authors believed that research would be better with longitudinal testing Using actual version of the learning style test, rather than abbreviated version Using actual version of the learning style test, rather than abbreviated version 42 items vs. 18 items 42 items vs. 18 items More heterogeneity in sample More heterogeneity in sample