Perceptualand MotorSkills, 1991, 72, 851-859. O Perceptual and Motor Skills 1991 EXAMINATION OF THE CONSTRUCT VALIDITY OF ALTERNATIVE MEASURES OF FIELD DEPENDENCEIINDEPENDENCE ' WINFRED ARTHUR, JR. AND DAVID V. DAY Texas AGM UniversiQ Louisiana State Uniuersily Summary.-The present study investigated the relationship between alternative measures of field dependence/independence. Two fundamental issues have centered around (a) whether field dependencelindependence is a cognitive style or cognitive ability and (b) the use of multiple measures of the construct. Consistent with past re- search, the results tended to support a cognitive-ability interpretation but only when the Group Embedded Figures Test was the measure. Using the Portable Rod-and- Frame Test, results were more compatible with a stylistic interpretation. The implica- tions OF these Findings For the operational measurement and application of the con- struct are discussed The construct of field dependencelindependence was originally proposed nearly 30 years ago (Witkin, Dyk, Faterson, Goodenough, & Karp, 1962), yet it remains a central construct in much basic and applied research (cf., McKenna, 1984). Although the construct has undergone several changes in meaning (see Goodenough, Oltman, & Cox, 1987, for a recent review), it generally relates to how people use visual cues to extract information from a complex field. Two fundamental issues in this research have centered around (a) whether field dependencelindependence is a cognitive style or cognitive ability and (b) whether there are multiple measures of the construct. Regarding the first issue, it has been suggested (e.g., Guilford, 1980; McKema, 1984; Widiger, Knudson, & Rorer, 1980) that abilities relate to level of performance, are more narrowly focused, and are valued at one end of the dimension but not the other; whereas styles relate to the manner (i.e., how) of performance, have a broader range of application, and are value-free in that neither end of the dimension is regarded as more superior than the other. The originators conceptualized field dependencelindependence as a cognitive style (Witlun, et a[., 1962) and have held to this position (e.g., Witkin & Goodenough, 1981) despite contradictory evidence (Widiger, et al., 1980). The most notable challenges to the construct as a cognitive style were recently summarized by McKenna (1984), who concluded that the prevailing conceptual arguments and empirical evidence were more consistent with the position of field dependencelindependence as a cognitive ability. His conclusion regarding the empirical evidence was primarily based on the number of studies reporting significant correlations with measures of general 'Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Winfred Arthur, Jr., Department of Psyc ology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-4235.