Personal epistemology across different judgement domains: effects of grade level and school curriculum

Abstract

This article reports a study that is based on the framework of personal epistemology proposed by Kuhn, Cheney, and Weinstock (2000). The instrument developed by Kuhn et al. (2000) for assessing the three positions (absolutist, multiplist and evaluativist) of epistemological understanding across five judgements’ domains was translated and administered to 180 Chinese middle and high school students. The data showed that the general trajectory of personal epistemology across different judgement domains proposed by Kuhn et al. (2000) could also be identified in a Chinese cultural context. Analyses by grade level showed no difference, whereas analyses by school curriculum showed that eighth graders from an experimental school hold more sophisticated positions of personal epistemology (less absolutist and more multiplist) than eighth graders from a regular school. These results indicated the importance of a constructive academic environment in the enhancement of personal epistemology.

Keywords:

• personal epistemology
• epistemological beliefs
• judgement domains
• school curriculum