Relational and contextual reasoning and its relations with other forms of thought

This study explicates postformal "relational and contextual reasoning" (RCR ), which serves in particular to link competing theories A, B, (C,...) for constructing an overarching "theory" or synopsis, and its five developmenta l levels. Following an analysis of two pilot studies. individual interviews with 32 participants (aged 13 to 68 years; 17m., 15 f.) of approximately I 1/2 h. each about nine task!, are described. A structural analysis of the interview transcripts yielded two main results: Certain postulated partial operations of RCR and the posited "intra-inter-trans" developmental logic o f the fi ve developmental levels are supported empirically. The research de sign, the method used and the results are presented, and possible applicati ons, primarily in the classroom, are pointed out.