Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention

In this study, we exploratively investigate the relation between students’ epistemological beliefs and their declarative knowledge about scientific explanations and their practical skills to explain psychological phenomena drawing on scientific theories before and after a training intervention using...

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Main Authors: Eric Klopp, Theresa Krause-Wichmann, Robin Stark
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2023-10-01
Series:Frontiers in Psychology
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1178129/full
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author Eric Klopp
Theresa Krause-Wichmann
Robin Stark
author_facet Eric Klopp
Theresa Krause-Wichmann
Robin Stark
author_sort Eric Klopp
collection DOAJ
description In this study, we exploratively investigate the relation between students’ epistemological beliefs and their declarative knowledge about scientific explanations and their practical skills to explain psychological phenomena drawing on scientific theories before and after a training intervention using a person-centered approach. We theoretically derive profiles of epistemological beliefs that should be beneficial for constructing scientific explanations. We those having higher explanation skills show a profile of epistemological beliefs that is beneficial for explanations skills. Using a latent profile transition analysis and a sample with N = 108 students, we explore which profiles of epistemological beliefs, declarative knowledge about explanations, and explanation skills empirically emerge before and after an intervention that aimed and fostering students’ skills to construct scientific explanations. Before the intervention, two profiles emerged that differed in epistemological beliefs and explanation skills, but both did not in declarative knowledge about explanation. The intervention, in general, yielded a gain in declarative knowledge about explanations and explanation skills. After the intervention, again, two profiles emerged. However, these profiles did not differ in their epistemological beliefs but only in declarative knowledge about explanations and explanation skills. Thus, the intervention seems to level out the effects of epistemological beliefs. Additionally, the pattern of change in epistemological beliefs is consistent with theoretical expectations about which epistemological beliefs are beneficial for explanations. We discuss the results and their implications, as well as their limitations. Finally, we provide an outlook of using the person-oriented approach and this study’s type of intervention in the research on changing epistemological beliefs.
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spelling doaj.art-083d81521bda4fa1a0db3579e532de672023-10-20T06:29:16ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Psychology1664-10782023-10-011410.3389/fpsyg.2023.11781291178129Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an interventionEric KloppTheresa Krause-WichmannRobin StarkIn this study, we exploratively investigate the relation between students’ epistemological beliefs and their declarative knowledge about scientific explanations and their practical skills to explain psychological phenomena drawing on scientific theories before and after a training intervention using a person-centered approach. We theoretically derive profiles of epistemological beliefs that should be beneficial for constructing scientific explanations. We those having higher explanation skills show a profile of epistemological beliefs that is beneficial for explanations skills. Using a latent profile transition analysis and a sample with N = 108 students, we explore which profiles of epistemological beliefs, declarative knowledge about explanations, and explanation skills empirically emerge before and after an intervention that aimed and fostering students’ skills to construct scientific explanations. Before the intervention, two profiles emerged that differed in epistemological beliefs and explanation skills, but both did not in declarative knowledge about explanation. The intervention, in general, yielded a gain in declarative knowledge about explanations and explanation skills. After the intervention, again, two profiles emerged. However, these profiles did not differ in their epistemological beliefs but only in declarative knowledge about explanations and explanation skills. Thus, the intervention seems to level out the effects of epistemological beliefs. Additionally, the pattern of change in epistemological beliefs is consistent with theoretical expectations about which epistemological beliefs are beneficial for explanations. We discuss the results and their implications, as well as their limitations. Finally, we provide an outlook of using the person-oriented approach and this study’s type of intervention in the research on changing epistemological beliefs.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1178129/fullepistemological beliefsscientific explanationsinterventionepistemological belief changelatent profile transition analysis
spellingShingle Eric Klopp
Theresa Krause-Wichmann
Robin Stark
Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
Frontiers in Psychology
epistemological beliefs
scientific explanations
intervention
epistemological belief change
latent profile transition analysis
title Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
title_full Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
title_fullStr Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
title_full_unstemmed Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
title_short Profiles of epistemological beliefs, knowledge about explanation norms, and explanation skills: changes after an intervention
title_sort profiles of epistemological beliefs knowledge about explanation norms and explanation skills changes after an intervention
topic epistemological beliefs
scientific explanations
intervention
epistemological belief change
latent profile transition analysis
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1178129/full
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AT robinstark profilesofepistemologicalbeliefsknowledgeaboutexplanationnormsandexplanationskillschangesafteranintervention