William G. Perry, a psychologist and also a professor in the Harvard Graduate School of Education, conducted a study among Harvard undergraduates with an aim to verify the various stages of cognitive development and intellect acquisition. The study was conducted in the 1950s and 60s and took 15 years. The findings of this study culminated into the publication of a book in 1970, authored by Perry, with the title Forms of intellectual and ethical development in the college years: A scheme (Cited in Hall, 2013) . This book has been utilized as the foundation for student developmental research ever since it was published. The framework articulated by this author, in alignment with men’s way of knowing, comprises of nine key steps.
The stages described by Perry are divided into four groupings in alignment with the attitude portrayed by student as far as knowledge is concerned. The first stage is referred to as dualism which points at acquired knowledge. The dualistic attitude assumes that there is always a right or wrong, true or false, as well good or evil (Hall, 2013). In this stage, students depict the view that knowledge is acquired and not questioned and there is always a right answer for a situation or problem. This yields two kinds of dualism: basic and full dualism. Basic dualism is the first stage of knowing and is reinforced by the student’s belief that there is a right answer and all problems have a solution. Full dualism is the second stage of cognitive development and aligns with the belief that there are authoritative sources of knowledge but these are characterized with disagreements while some will agree (Rapaport, 2013). Based on the belief that there is a right answer, the student’s responsibility is to seek this answer and ignore everything else.
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The second grouping is referred to as multiplicity and is founded on subjective knowledge. This is further divided into two stages of cognitive development: early and late multiplicity. Early multiplicity posits that there are two kinds of problems: those with a readily known solution(s) and those whose solution(s) are yet to be known. Late multiplicity posits that most problems fall under the category of problems whose solutions are yet to be known. This reinforces the idea that everyone has a right to an opinion. Late multiplicity may also be of the view that some problems cannot be solved and, therefore, it does not matter which solution one chooses if any (Rapaport, 2013). It is at this stage that the student makes a decision to drop out of college, to change to a subject he or she could not have chosen in the previous context, or to do anything that proves that his or her search for knowledge seems founded elsewhere.
The third grouping is referred to as relativism and denotes procedural knowledge. This aligns with the requirement for the application of reasoning as per the subject at hand. Relativism encompasses two stages: contextual relativism and pre-commitment (Rapaport, 2013). Contextual relativism posits that the proposal of a solution must be backed with support. The challenge for the student is to be cautious in the evaluation of solutions since some solutions will prove to be superior to others (Rapaport, 2013). “Pre-commitment” entails the idea of making an appropriate choice and persisting with a solution.
The fourth grouping is referred to as commitment and this aligns with knowledge construction. It entails the incorporation of knowledge obtained from others with personal reflection and first-hand experience. Commitment is further divided into three stages: commitment, challenges to commitment, and “post-commitment” (Rapaport, 2013). Commitment entails dedication. Challenges to commitment entail exploration of issues appertaining to the student’s responsibilities as well as the implications of the student’s experiences. “Post-commitment” entails a realization by the student that commitment is a continuous endeavor characterized with the unfolding and evolution of events (Rapaport, 2013).
A summary of Perry’s framework in alignment with men’ way of knowing is provided below to enhance the comprehension of the 9 developmental stages.
Dualism
Basic dualism
Full dualism
Multiplicity
Early multiplicity
Late multiplicity
Relativism
Contextual relativism
“ Pre-commitment”
Commitment
Commitment
Challenges to commitment
“ Post-commitment”
References
Hall, M. (2013). Perry’s scheme – Understanding the intellectual development of college-age students. Johns Hopkins University, Center for Educational Resources. Retrieved from https://ii.library.jhu.edu/2013/
Rapaport, W. J. (2013). William Perry’s scheme of intellectual and ethical development. State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY. Retrieved from https://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~rapaport/
