Cognitive Styles Analysis

Cognitive Styles Analysis (CSA) was developed by Richard J. Riding and is the most frequently used computerized measure of cognitive styles. Although CSA is not well known in North American institutions, it is quite popular among European universities and organizations.

A number of different labels have been given to cognitive styles and, according to Riding, many of these are but different conceptions of the same dimensions. Riding and Cheema surveyed the various (about 30) labels and, after reviewing the descriptions, correlations, methods of assessment, and effect on behavior, concluded that the styles may be grouped into two principal groups: the Wholist-Analytic and the Verbal-Imagery dimensions. It is argued that these dimensions of cognitive style are very fundamental because they develop early in life and are pervasive given their affect on social behavior, decision making, and learning.

Unlike many other measures of cognitive style inventories, CSA has been under substantial empirical investigation. Three experiments reported by showed the reliability of CSA to be low. Considering the profound theoretical background of CSA, also regarding unsuccessful earlier attempts to create a more reliable parallel form of it some crucial changes are being made in a revised version to improve the validity and reliability of CSA.