The Factorial Validity of Three Measures of Critical Thinking within the Context of Guilford's Structure-of-Intellect Model for a Sample of Ninth Grade Students

Abstract

For a total sample of 235 ninth grade students and for each of two subsamples of 122 females and 113 males, intercorrelations of 24 of Guilford's structure-of-intellect (SOI) tests (hypothesized as being possibly indicative of different abilities underlying critical thinking) and of either (a) 13 subtests of three standardized critical thinking measures or (b) total scores on the three critical thinking measures or (b) total scores on the three critical thinking measures were factor analyzed. In addition to two instrument-specific factors, two general dimensions defined as Creative Production and Critical Thinking emerged. Within the conceptual framework provided by the SOI model, cognition of semantic classes, relations, and systems; evaluation of semantic units, classes, relations, and transformations; and convergent production of semantic transformations held modest promise as possible valid explanatory components or subconstructs of critical thinking.