ARTICLE
The association of thinking styles with research agendas among academics in the social sciences
João M. Santos,
Hugo Horta,
Li-fang Zhang,
João M. Santos
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
Search for more papers by this authorHugo Horta
Social Contexts and Policies of Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Search for more papers by this authorLi-fang Zhang
Teaching Education and Learning Leadership, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Search for more papers by this authorJoão M. Santos,
Hugo Horta,
Li-fang Zhang,
João M. Santos
Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), Centro de Investigação e Intervenção Social (CIS-IUL), Lisbon, Portugal
Search for more papers by this authorHugo Horta
Social Contexts and Policies of Education, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Search for more papers by this authorLi-fang Zhang
Teaching Education and Learning Leadership, Faculty of Education, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
Search for more papers by this authorFunding information
This work was supported by the Research Grants Council (Hong Kong) through the project titled ‘Characterizing researchers' research agenda-setting: an international perspective across fields of knowledge’ (project number: 27608516), and also by doctoral grant PD/BD/113999/2015 from the Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT), co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) and the Portuguese Ministry of Science and Education
Abstract
enResearch agendas are understudied, despite being key to academic knowledge creation. The literature suggests that the ways that academics determine their research agendas are conditioned by individual, organisational and environmental characteristics. This study explores the cognitive aspects of academics' research agendas in the social sciences by using a theory on thinking styles as an analytical framework. The results suggest that the research agendas of academics in the social sciences are significantly associated with their thinking styles. These findings aid understanding of how academics set their research agendas. This study also represents an important landmark in research on thinking styles, focusing on academic research work as a potential venue for further studies. The findings are relevant for policymakers, research funding agencies, university administrators and academics because they have implications for academic research development processes, outcomes, and for research and academic identity socialisation during doctoral studies.
摘要
zh尽管研究计划是创造学术知识的关键，但是它还未得到充分的研究。以往研究表明，学者确定其研究计划的方式取决于个人、组织和环境特征。本研究以思维风格理论为分析框架，从认知层面探讨了社会科学领域学者的研究计划。结果表明，社会科学领域学者的研究计划与他们的思维风格有显著相关。这些发现有助于理解学者如何确定他们的研究计划。本研究也是思维风格研究的一个重要里程碑 –未来的思维风格研究可以将学术研究作为一个进一步研究的对象。这些发现与政策制定者、研究资助机构、大学管理人员和学者有关，因为研究结果对学术研究的发展过程、结果，以及博士学习期间的研究和学术身份社会化均具有现实意义。
References
- Abramo, G., D'Angelo, C. A., & Caprasecca, A. (2009). Gender differences in research productivity: A bibliometric analysis of the Italian academic system. Scientometrics, 79(3), 517–539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-007-2046-8
- Acker, S., & Webber, M. (2017). Made to measure: Early career academics in the Canadian university workplace. Higher Education Research and Development, 36(3), 541–554.
- Albaili, M. A. (2007). Differences in thinking styles among low-; average-; and high-achieving college students (pp. 5–10). Linköping, Sweden: Linköping University Electronic Press.
- Allison, P. D., Long, J. S., & Krauze, T. K. (1982). Cumulative advantage and inequality in science. American Sociological Review, 47, 615–625.
- Allison, P. D., & Stewart, J. A. (1974). Productivity differences among scientists: Evidence for accumulative advantage. American Sociological Review, 39(4), 596–606.
- Auranen, O., & Niemiren, M. (2010). University research funding and publication performance—An international comparison. Research Policy, 39(6), 822–834.
- Banal-Estañol, A., Macho-Stadler, I., & Pérez-Castrillo, D. (2019). Evaluation in research funding agencies: Are structurally diverse teams biased against? Research Policy, 48(7), 1823–1840.
- Bandura, A. (1978). The self system in reciprocal determinism. American Psychologist, 33(4), 344–358.
- Bonaccorsi, A., & Daraio, C. (2003). Age effects in scientific productivity. Scientometrics, 58(1), 49–90.
- Bourdieu, P. (1999). The specificity of the scientific field. In M. Biagioli (Ed.), The science studies reader (pp. 31–50). New York, NY: Routledge.
- Brennan, J., & Teichler, U. (2008). The future of higher education and of higher education research. Higher Education, 56 (3), 259–264.
- Brew, A., Boud, D., Namgung, S. U., Lucas, L., & Crawford, K. (2016). Research productivity and academics' conceptions of research. Higher Education, 71(5), 681–697.
- Brew, A., & Lucas, L. (2009). Academic research and researchers. Maidenhead, UK: Open University Press.
- Chubb, J., & Watermeyer, R. (2017). Artifice or integrity in the marketization of research impact? Investigating the moral economy of (pathways to) impact statements within research funding proposals in the UK and Australia. Studies in Higher Education, 42(12), 2360–2372.
- Cummings, J. N., & Kiesler, S. (2005). Collaborative research across disciplinary and organizational boundaries. Social Studies of Science, 35(5), 703–722.
- Davis, C. D., Kaufman, J. C., & McClure, F. H. (2011). Non-cognitive constructs and self-reported creativity by domain. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 45(3), 188–202.
- de Raymond, A. B. (2018). ‘Aligning activities’: Coordination, boundary activities, and agenda setting in interdisciplinary research. Science and Public Policy, 45(5), 621–633.
- Dikici, A. (2014). Relationships between thinking styles and behaviors fostering creativity: An exploratory study for the mediating role of certain demographic traits. Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 14(1), 179–201.
- Dobele, A. R., & Rundle-Theile, S. (2015). Progression through academic ranks: A longitudinal examination of internal promotion drivers. Higher Education Quarterly, 69(4), 410–429.
- Ebadi, A., & Schiffauerova, A. (2015a). How to become an important player in scientific collaboration networks? Journal of Informetrics, 9(4), 809–825.
- Ebadi, A., & Schiffauerova, A. (2015b). How to receive more funding for your research? Get connected to the right people! PLoS One, 10(7), e0133061.
- Emir, S. (2013). Contributions of teachers' thinking styles to critical thinking dispositions (Istanbul-Fatih sample). Educational Sciences: Theory and Practice, 13(1), 337–347.
- Enders, J., De Boer, H., & Weyer, E. (2013). Regulatory autonomy and performance: The reform of higher education re-visited. Higher Education, 65(1), 5–23.
- Fan, J. (2016). The role of thinking styles in career decision-making self-efficacy among university students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 20, 63–73.
- Fjell, A. M., & Walhovd, K. B. (2004). Thinking styles in relation to personality traits: An investigation of the thinking styles inventory and NEO-PI-R. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, 45(4), 293–300.
- Geschwind, L., & Melin, G. (2016). Stronger disciplinary identities in multidisciplinary research schools. Studies in Continuing Education, 38(1), 16–28.
- Goodwin, B., & Miller, K. (2013). Research says/evidence on flipped classrooms is still coming in. Technology Rich Learning, 70(6), 78–80.
- Grigorenko, E. L. (2009). What is so stylish about styles? Comments on the genetic etiology of intellectual styles. Perspectives on the nature of intellectual styles, 233–251.
- Hair, J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., Anderson, R. E., & Tatham, R. L. (2007). Multivariate data analysis. Harlow, UK: Pearson.
- Helson, R., & Crutchfield, R. S. (1970). Mathematicians: The creative researcher and the average PhD. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 34(2), 250–257. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0029003
- Hicks, D. (2012). Performance-based university research funding systems. Research Policy, 41(2), 251–261.
- Hoffman, D. M., Blasi, B., Ćulum, B., Dragšić, Ž., Ewen, A., Horta, H., … Rios-Aguilar, C. (2014). The methodological illumination of a blind spot: Information and communication technology and international research team dynamics in a higher education research program. Higher Education, 67(4), 473–495.
- Holland, J. L. (1997). Making vocational choices: A theory of vocational personalities and work environments. Washington, DC: Psychological Assessment Resources.
- Hollingsworth, R., & Hollingsworth, E. J. (2000). Major discoveries and biomedical research organizations: Perspectives on interdisciplinarity, nurturing leadership, and integrated structure and cultures. In P. Weingart & N. Stehr (Eds.), Practising interdisciplinarity. Toronto, ON: Toronto University Press.
10.3138/9781442678729-013 Google Scholar
- Horlings, E., & Gurney, T. (2013). Search strategies along the academic lifecycle. Scientometrics, 94(3), 1137–1160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-012-0789-3
- Horodnic, I. A., & Zaiţ, A. (2015). Motivation and research productivity in a university system undergoing transition. Research Evaluation, 24(3), 282–292.
- Horta, H., & Santos, J. M. (2016a). An instrument to measure individuals' research agenda setting: The multi-dimensional research agendas inventory. Scientometrics, 108(3), 1243–1265. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11192-016-2012-4
- Horta, H., & Santos, J. M. (2016b). The impact of publishing during PhD studies on career research publication, visibility, and collaborations. Research in Higher Education, 57(1), 28–50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11162-015-9380-0
- Horta, H., & Santos, J. M. (2019). Organisational factors and academic research agendas: An analysis of academics in the social sciences. Studies in Higher Education, 44(5), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2019.1612351
10.1080/03075079.2019.1612351 Google Scholar
- Ion, G., & Castro Ceacero, D. (2017). Transitions in the manifestations of the research culture of Spanish universities. Higher Education Research & Development, 36(2), 311–324.
- Jing, L., & Zhang, D. (2014). Does organizational commitment help to promote university faculty's performance and effectiveness? The Asia-Pacific Education Researcher, 23(2), 201–212.
- Jung, J. (2014). Research productivity by career stage among Korean academics. Tertiary Education and Management, 20(2), 85–105.
10.1080/13583883.2014.889206 Google Scholar
- Katz, J. S., & Martin, B. R. (1997). What is research collaboration? Research Policy, 26(1), 1–18.
- Kelly, A., & Burrows, R. (2011). Measuring the value of sociology? Some notes on performative metricization in the contemporary academy. Sociological Review, 59(Suppl. 2), 130–150.
- Kenny, J. (2018). Re-empowering academics in a corporate culture: An exploration of workload and performativity in a university. Higher Education, 75(2), 365–380.
- Kim, K., & Kim, J.-K. (2017). Inequality in the scientific community: The effects of cumulative advantage among social scientists and humanities scholars in Korea. Higher Education, 73(1), 61–77.
- Klavans, R., Boyack, K. W., Sorensen, A. A., & Chen, C. (2013, December). Towards the development of an indicator of conformity. In 14th International Society of Scientometrics and Informetrics conference. ISSI.
- Kwiek, M., & Antonowicz, D. (2015). The changing paths in academic careers in European universities: Minor steps and major milestones. In T. Fumasoli, G. Goastellec, & B. M. Kehm (Eds.), Academic work and careers in Europe: Trends, challenges, perspectives (pp. 41–68). Berlin, Germany: Springer.
10.1007/978-3-319-10720-2_3 Google Scholar
- Latour, B., & Woolgar, S. (2013). Laboratory life: The construction of scientific facts. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
10.2307/j.ctt32bbxc Google Scholar
- Leahey, E. (2007). Not by productivity alone: How visibility and specialization contribute to academic earnings. American Sociological Review, 72(4), 533–561.
- Leahey, E., Barringer, S. N., & Ring-Ramirez, M. (2019). Universities' structural commitment to interdisciplinary research. Scientometrics, 118(3), 891–919.
- Leisyte, L. (2016). New public management and research productivity—A precarious state of affairs of academic work in the Netherlands. Studies in Higher Education, 41(5), 828–846.
- Leisyte, L., Enders, J., & De Boer, H. (2008). The freedom to set research agendas—Illusion and reality of the research units in the Dutch universities. Higher Education Policy, 21(3), 377–391.
10.1057/hep.2008.14 Google Scholar
- Mamun, S. A. K., & Rahman, M. M. (2015). Is there any feedback effect between academic research publication and research collaboration? Evidence from an Australian university. Scientometrics, 105(3), 2179–2196.
- Martimianakis, M. A., & Muzzin, L. (2015). Discourses of interdisciplinarity and the shifting topography of academic work: Generational perspectives on facilitating and resisting neoliberalism. Studies in Higher Education, 40(8), 1454–1470.
- Martin-Sardesai, A., Irvine, H., Tooley, S., & Guthrie, J. (2017). Government research evaluations and academic freedom: A UK and Australian comparison. Higher Education Research and Development, 36(2), 372–385.
- McGrail, M. R., Rickard, C. M., & Jones, R. (2006). Publish or perish: A systematic review of interventions to increase academic publication rates. Higher Education Research & Development, 25(1), 19–35.
10.1080/07294360500453053 Google Scholar
- Merton, R. K. (1957). Priorities in scientific discovery: a chapter in the sociology of science. American Sociological Review, 22(6), 635–659.
- Merton, R. K. (1968). The Matthew effect in science. Science, 159(3810), 56–63.
- Morgan, H. (1997). Cognitive styles and classroom learning. Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers.
- Murphy, A., & Janeke, H. (2009). The relationship between thinking styles and emotional intelligence: An exploratory study. South African Journal of Psychology, 39(3), 357–375.
- Niu, W. (2007). Individual and environmental influences on Chinese student creativity. The Journal of Creative Behavior, 41(3), 151–175.
- OECD (2002). Frascati manual—Proposed standard practice for surveys on research and experimental development. Paris: OECD Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1787/9789264239012-en
10.1787/9789264199040-en Google Scholar
- Pinheiro, D., Melkers, J., & Youtie, J. (2014). Learning to play the game: Student publishing as an indicator of future scholarly success. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 81, 56–66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2012.09.008
- Platow, M. J. (2012). PhD experience and subsequent outcomes: A look at self-perceptions of acquired graduate attributes and supervisor support. Studies in Higher Education, 37(1), 103–118.
- Podlubny, I. (2005). Comparison of scientific impact expressed by the number of citations in different fields of science. Scientometrics, 64(1), 95–99.
- Polanyi, M. (2012). Personal knowledge: Towards a post-critical philosophy. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press.
10.4324/9780203442159 Google Scholar
- Popper, K. (2005). The logic of scientific discovery. London, UK: Routledge.
10.4324/9780203994627 Google Scholar
- Rushton, J. P., Murray, H. G., & Paunonen, S. V. (1983). Personality, research creativity, and teaching effectiveness in university professors. Scientometrics, 5(2), 93–116.
- Rzhetsky, A., Foster, J. G., Foster, I. T., & Evans, J. A. (2015). Choosing experiments to accelerate collective discovery. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 112(47), 14569–14574.
- Saá-Pérez, P. D., Díaz-Díaz, N. L., Aguiar-Díaz, I., & Ballesteros-Rodríguez, J. L. (2017). How diversity contributes to academic research teams performance. R&D Management, 47(2), 165–179.
- Santos, J. M., & Horta, H. (2018). The research agenda setting of higher education researchers. Higher Education, 76(4), 649–668. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-018-0230-9
- Schut, M., van Paassen, A., Leeuwis, C., & Klerkx, L. (2014). Towards dynamic research configurations: A framework for reflection on the contribution of research to policy and innovation processes. Science and Public Policy, 41(2), 207–218.
- Shin, J. C., & Jung, J. (2014). Academics' job satisfaction and job stress across countries in the changing academic environments. Higher Education, 67(5), 603–620.
- Stack, S. (2004). Gender, children and research productivity. Research in Higher Education, 45(8), 891–920.
- Stephan, P. (2012). How economics shapes science (Vol. 1). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
10.4159/harvard.9780674062757 Google Scholar
- Sternberg, R. J. (1988). Mental self-government: A theory of intellectual styles and their development. Human Development, 31(4), 197–224.
- Sternberg, R. J. (1999). Thinking styles. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
- Sternberg, R. J., & Grigorenko, E. L. (1997). Are cognitive styles still in style? American Psychologist, 52(7), 700–712.
- Tight, M. (2013). Discipline and methodology in higher education research. Higher Education Research & Development, 32(1), 136–151.
- Tsagaris, G. S. (2006). The relationships between thinking style preferences, cultural orientations and academic achievement. Ann Arbor, MI: ProQuest. Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/openview/63bcbbaa5c26fc38e38a447bb174c023/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
- Uddin, S., Hossain, L., & Rasmussen, K. (2013). Network effects on scientific collaborations. PloS One, 8(2), e57546.
- Wang, J. (2016). Knowledge creation in collaboration networks: Effects of tie configuration. Research Policy, 45(1), 68–80.
- Young, M. (2015). Competitive funding, citation regimes, and the diminishment of breakthrough research. Higher Education, 69, 421–434.
- Yuan, W., Zhang, L.-F., & Fu, M. (2017). Thinking styles and academic stress coping among Chinese secondary school students. Educational Psychology, 37(8), 1015–1025.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2000). Relationship between thinking styles inventory and study process questionnaire. Personality and Individual Differences, 29(5), 841–856.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2002a). Thinking styles and cognitive development. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 163(2), 179–195.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2002b). Thinking styles and modes of thinking: Implications for education and research. The Journal of Psychology, 136(3), 245–261.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2002c). Thinking styles: Their relationships with modes of thinking and academic performance. Educational Psychology, 22(3), 331–348.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2008). Teachers' styles of thinking: An exploratory study. The Journal of Psychology, 142(1), 37–55.
- Zhang, L.-F. (2010). Further investigating thinking styles and psychosocial development in the Chinese higher education context. Learning and Individual Differences, 20(6), 593–603. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2010.04.011
- Zhang, L.-F. (2017). The value of intellectual styles. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316014561
10.1017/9781316014561 Google Scholar
- Zhang, L.-F., Horta, H., Jung, J., Chen, G., & Postiglione, G. A. (2019). The role of thinking styles in program satisfaction and perceived intellectual competence among STEM doctoral students. Journal of Educational Psychology, 111(4), 573–589.
- Zhang, L.-F., & Shin, J.-C. (2015). The research–teaching nexus among academics from 15 institutions in Beijing, Mainland China. Higher Education, 70(3), 375–394.
