• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.441-447
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• 1999

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship among science process skills. mental capacity and cognitive styles of elementary students. For the study 264 fifth-grade students were sampled. The Test of Science Process Skills(TSPS) was used as a measure of science process skills. Figural Intersection Test(FIT) was used as a measure of mental capacity. Group Embedded Figure Test(GEFT) was also used as a measure of cognitive styles. The results of this study showed that the science processskills increases progressively as the mental capacity increases. The field independent students showed significantly higher(p<.05) science process skills than the field dependent ones. There was no significant interaction between mental capacity and cognitive styles on science process skills. The findings indicated that there may be evidence to argue that mental capacity and cognitive styles play a important role in development of science process skills. The present study provided a possibility of Neo-Piagetian approach in science education research, and also showed an importance of cognitive development in the performance of science inquiry task.