Contents

Acknowledgments

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Definition of Field Independence and Field Dependence-1

1.2 Research Objectives and Significance-1

1.3 The Composition of the Thesis-2

Chapter Two Literature Review-3

2.1 Cognitive Style-3

2.2 Field Independence and Field Dependence-3

2.3 Field Independence/ Dependence and Second Language Acquisition-4

2.4 Filed Independence/ Dependence and Reading-5

Chapter Three Research Design and Process-7

3.1 Research Design-7

3.2 Research Process-7

Chapter Four Research Results and Data Analysis-9

4.1 Research Results-9

4.1.1 Data Collection and Analysis-9

4.1.2 Major Findings-12

4.2 Suggestions-12

4.2.1 Enhancing the Awareness of Field Independence/ Dependence-12

4.2.2 Cultivating “Field Dependence” to Be More “Field Independence”-13

4.2.3 Cultivating “Field Independence” to Be More “Field Dependence”-13

Chapter Five Conclusion-15

References-16

Appendices-18

Abstract

Reading is one of the important ways for English learners to absorb language materials and get perceptual knowledge. It is not only a cognitive and constructive process, but also a process of interacting with each other between learners and reading materials, as well as a process of the use of the reading strategy. However, reading comprehension process is a complex cognitive process and one of the individual factors of English learners is the cognitive style, which embodies features of individual cognitive processing preference. This study is based on the theory of field independence/dependence, which is first put forward by the America psychologist, Witkin.H.A. and this paper adopts questionnaire to investigate English Majors’ cognitive style and reading ability as well as analyzes  the influence of cognitive features on reading comprehension ability, and thus proposes proper solutions to improve methods of reading teaching.   

Keywords: field of independence ; field of dependence ; reading comprehension