Scientific cognition (thinking) involves complex
cognitive mechanisms. Scientific
Cognition involves much more than: gen. scientific knowledge,
procedural skills to conduct research, attaching "science says" to
your statements, a science degree, perpetuating views of popularizers of
science, identifying yourself as evidence based, asking for evidence, being
skeptical, etc. Scientific thinking
involves an array of components and can be used in everyday out of the lab
thinking as well as when evaluating research and examining science texts.
Deanna Kuhn asserts that the essence of scientific
thinking is coordinating belief with evidence (2001). At the very least scientific cognition
involves philosophy of science, scientific methodology, quantitative reasoning,
probabilistic reasoning and elements of logic. Scientific cognition requires
specific cognitive abilities and cognitive style (thinking disposition).
In a recent study we investigated whether or not
scientific cognition and scientific literacy (general scientific knowledge)
scores were associated, and whether or not there were gender differences for
total scores for each scale (Hale, Sloss, & Lawson, Paper Forthcoming). The scientific literacy and scientific
cognition assessment consisted of mostly questions derived from measuring devices used in the
past. The assessments were administered as part of an online survey. The
participants were 202 university students. The study was approved
by the university's Institutional Review Board. The results indicate a positive association
between scientific literacy and scientific cognition, and no gender differences
for total scores from the scales. Additional analyses indicate there was gender
differences for some of the items. There was gender differences for one item
from the scientific literacy assessment and for two items from the scientific
cognition assessment. One of the important findings that was found in the study
was
that students confused science with pseudo- science. The overwhelming majority
of students (79%) in the study report that astrology is scientific, or is at
least partly scientific. Only twenty one percent of participants in the study
answered the following question correctly: "Which of the following
statements are true? A) Astrology is not at all scientific B) Astrology is
partly scientific C) Astrology is a legitimate field of scientific study." The correct answer is A. The astrology
question is an item from the scientific literacy assessment. Another important finding was, consistent with
finding in past studies, students didn't do well on a covariation task. Knowledge in research methodology should
assist students in providing the correct answer for this item. The
question most often answered incorrectly, from the scientific cognition
assessment, was a question involving identifying
a relationship between treatment and effects, and making use of comparison groups.
These skills are taught in research methods courses. The question was presented
as "A new medical treatment was designed to treat a serious health
problem. Using the information provided below decide whether the treatment was
effective: 200 people were given the treatment and improved 75 people were
given the treatment and did not improve 50 people were not given the treatment
and improved 15 people were not given the treatment and did not improve A)
Treatment was effective B) Treatment was not effective." The probability that the
treatment is effective is (200/275) .727. The probability that the treatment is
not effective is (50/65) .769. The answer is B. Approximately 53% of the students answered the
question incorrectly.
The cognitive processes underpinning scientific
cognition are important and can be extended to various conditions. To
reiterate, scientific cognition is about much more that remembering scientific
theories, laws and principles. Scientific
cognition is essentially analytical thinking that can be used, and should be
used in a wide range of conditions. At the very least in an effort to develop
better scientific cognition students should be educated in the areas of the
philosophy of science, research methodology, quantitative reasoning (probabilistic
reasoning) and logic. These components are involved with scientific thinking.
Science educators and the media do a disservice when they promote science and
its wide range of relevant concepts as "just" being able to remember
scientifically derived information, or promoting science as if it is all about
a just having a sense of "wonder."
Being able to recollect scientific facts, being skeptical and having a
sense of wonder is important regarding science, but those qualities alone do
not ensure high levels of scientific thinking. Myself and colleagues would like
to see future research indicating a strong positive association between
scientific cognition and scientific literacy.
References available upon request
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