Field-Dependence—Independence as “Sensitivity” of the Nervous System: Supportive Evidence with Color and Weight Discrimination

Abstract

Consistent with a conceptualization of field-dependence as a partially genetically based “sensitivity” of the nervous system, it was hypothesized that field-independent Ss would perform better than field-dependent Ss on tests of color and weight discrimination. 56 Ss selected as extreme on tests of both field-dependence—independence and introversion—extraversion performed color and weight discrimination tasks. The color discrimination results very strongly support the hypothesis. The weight data provide additional support, but weight discrimination appears to interact with introversion—extraversion in addition to being related to field-dependence.