EPISTEMOLOGICAL BELIEFS AND REFLECTIVE JUDGMENT

We tested the hypothesis that 4 epistemological beliefs, i.e., beliefs about the nature and acquisition of knowledge, proposed by Schommer i n 1990, were related to observed differences in epistemological reason ing. Based on their responses to a philosophical dilemma, 125 college undergraduates and graduate students were assigned to 1 of 7 levels of the Reflective Judgement Model by Kitchner and King. 4 independent ep istemological beliefs were used to predict reflective judgement. Analy sis indicated that beliefs in Fixed Ability, Simple Knowledge, and Qui ck Learning accurately discriminated between higher and lower reflecti ve judgement even after age, education, and home environment were cont rolled. The relative contribution of each belief was examined as well. Practical and theoretical implications were discussed.