Robert J. Sternberg & Li-Fang Zhang 
Handbook of Intellectual Styles 
Preferences in Cognition, Learning, and Thinking

‘[B]ecause of the thoroughness of the literature reviews and the comprehensive coverage of the chapter topics, [this book] should be required reading for any scholar working in related areas of personality or intelligence.’– Psyc CRITIQUES

ìThis book is a masterly attempt to bring order and cohesion to a field that for many years has been riven with claims and counterclaims. The editors and authors are to be congratulated for addressing a very complex task so helpfully.î

John Biggs , Ph D
Honorary Professor of Psychology
University of Hong Kong

ìIf you are interested in intellectual stylesópeopleís preferred ways of processing informationóthen this book belongs on your bookshelf.î

Richard E. Mayer , Ph D
Professor of Psychology
University of California, Santa Barbara

ìFor more than half a century, the construct of styleówhether designated as cognitive, thinking or learningóhas been in or out of fashion in the history of psychology and education. The editors of the present Handbook have invigorated the style construct in the form of intellectual styles, and have brought together a distinguished international panel of chapter authors who offer up-to-date surveys of the assessment, development, correlates, and educational and organizational applications of intellectual styles. For those seeking to familiarize themselves with current theory and research in an intellectually exciting field, the present Handbook is essential.î

Nathan Kogan , Ph D
Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology
New School for Social Research, New York, NY

The concept of intellectual styles has had a controversial history based on diverse philosophical and theoretical foundations. Most recently, the idea of intellectual stylesóan umbrella term that covers such closely related constructs as ìcognitive styles, î ìlearning styles, î ìteaching styles, î and ìthinking stylesîóhas gained momentum as an explanation for why different people succeed in different professional and organizational settings. Previously, it was thought that high-achievers simply had more innate abilities than their less successful peers, but research has shown that individuals have different intellectual styles that are better suited for varying types of contexts and problems.

Based on the most current and expansive research, this handbook is the first to provide a comprehensive review of research on the construct of intellectual style, from its foundations and development, to its relations to allied constructs, its roles in school and job performance, its applications in various populations, and its future.. This understanding of intellectual styles as a valid concept for both individuals and groups has far-reaching implications for researchers in cross-cultural psychology, multicultural education, organizational behavior and work performance, and many other academic disciplines, as well as practitioners in education and beyond.

• Provides a comprehensive review of intellectual styles from multiple perspectives


• Written for students and scholars in diverse academic arenas, as well as practitioners in education and other fields


• Includes contributions from researchers from diverse disciplines, such as psychology, business, education, and health sciences

Table of Content

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