The Relationship of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal To Sex and Four Selected Personality Measures for a Sample of Dutch First-Year Psychology Students

Abstract

In reaction to an earlier publication by Simon and Ward (1974) on the 1952 version of the Watson-Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal, data are presented on the relationship of the 1964 forms of the same instrument to four selected noncognitive measures for a sample of 190 Dutch psychology students. Except for Subtest 5, Evaluation of Arguments, subtest and total score means were significantly lower for Form ZM than for Form YM. Reliabilities of the Watson-Glaser (W-G) subtests ranged from only .22 to .69. Total score KR-20 reliability estimates, however, were .72 (ZM) and .77 (YM). No sex differences were found. The correlation between the W-G total scores and those on the extroversion-introversion measure was not significant. Correlations of the W-G measure with other personality characteristics (neuroticism and rigidity) were also close to zero. As for version ZM of the W-G measure the performance was significantly associated with test-defensiveness.