Styles of thinking and learning

Abstract

Styles of thinking and learning are relevant for understanding foreign- language aptitude and for testing this aptitude. Such styles are preferred modes of thinking, of using one's abilities. This article emphasizes one particular theory of styles, the theory of mental self-government. First, the article describes what styles are. Secondly, it discusses the nature of styles in more detail. Thirdly, it gives some history of the concept of styles. Fourthly, it motivates the theory of mental self-government. Then it describes each of the styles in the theory. Fifthly, it describes measures of styles. Sixthly, it describes data we have collected on styles. Finally, it discusses the relevance of styles for assessing foreign-language aptitude.