Predicting elders' cognitive flexibility from their language use

This study recruited 51 elders aged 53-74 to discuss their daily activities in focus groups. The transcribed discourse was analyzed using the Chinese version of LIWC (Lin et al., 2020; Pennebaker et al., 2015) for cognitive complexity and dynamic language as well as content words related to elders' daily activities. The interruption behavior during the conversation was also coded and analyzed. After controlling for education, gender and age, the results showed that cognitive flexibility performance was accompanied by the increasing adoption of dynamic language, insight words and family words. These findings serve as the basis for predicting elders' cognitive flexibility through their daily language use.

The Effectiveness of a Cognitive Flexibility Theory – Based Training Program in Developing Some Productive – Mind Habits of Female Student Teachers and Their Preferable Learning Styles

The study sought to determine the effectiveness of a training program based on the theory of cognitive flexibility in developing some habits of productive mind and preferred learning methods among female student teachers, by identifying the level of habits of mind necessary for female student teachers in kindergartens and their preferred learning methods, and determining the procedures of the training program based on the theory of cognitive flexibility. To study its effectiveness in developing some habits of the productive mind and to know the percentage of the contribution of the habits of the productive mind to their preferred learning methods, so the study followed the quasi-experimental approach by designing two equal groups (control and experimental), by preparing a scale of the sixteen habits of the productive mind according to Costa & Kallick’s list. (2009) and a measure of productive mind habits necessary for female kindergarten students, and applying Felder and Silverman’s preferred learning styles scale (Index of learning style, 1999), on a purposive sample consisting of (46) female kindergarten students from the third year because they are in the intermediate learning stage according to the theory. Cognitive flexibility, as the sample represents 20% of the research population, and the results of the study revealed a low level of six habits of the productive mind in the sample: perseverance, control of recklessness, flexibility of thinking, creativity, continuous learning, and striving for accuracy. The sample’s learning preferences also varied between... Methods of processing, perception, input and thinking. The results showed the effectiveness of the training program based on the theory of cognitive flexibility in developing the necessary productive mind habits for kindergarten students. The results also revealed the contribution of productive mind habits to preferences for learning methods, as the habits of the productive mind individually predict preferred learning methods in proportion. It ranges from 31% to 64% in the post-measurement, and the six habits of the productive mind contribute together over time, as they predict preferred learning methods by rates ranging from 18% to 63.8%, with the exception of the processing style, of which the creativity habit predicted 34%. Some Recommendations in light of these results.