Feldabhängigkeitsmodelle

Feldabhängigkeit is a term used in psychology and related fields to describe a cognitive style where an individual's perceptions and decisions are heavily influenced by the immediate context or "field" in which they are presented. People who are field-dependent tend to perceive things as embedded within their surroundings rather than as discrete, separable entities. This can manifest in various ways, such as difficulty in disembedding a specific piece of information from a larger visual array or a tendency to be swayed by social cues when making judgments.

This concept was first extensively explored by Herman Witkin and his colleagues in the 1940s and 1950s. They developed tests like the Rod-and-Frame Test and the Embedded-Figures Test to measure this dimension of cognitive style. In the Rod-and-Frame Test, participants are asked to adjust a rod to a vertical position within a tilted frame. Field-dependent individuals are more likely to let the tilted frame influence their perception of verticality, thus not accurately judging the rod's position independently. Similarly, in the Embedded-Figures Test, field-dependent individuals struggle to locate a simple shape hidden within a more complex design.

Field dependence is often contrasted with field independence, where individuals are better able to perceive parts of an experience independently of the surrounding context. It's important to note that field dependence is considered a dimension of cognitive style, not a measure of intelligence or pathology. Individuals fall along a spectrum, and their position can be influenced by cultural factors, upbringing, and even specific learning experiences. Understanding field dependence can be useful in educational settings, design, and therapeutic interventions, as it can inform how individuals process information and interact with their environment.