Role of Cognitive Processes in the Implementation of Research Activity by Students

The purpose of this study was to recognize various characteristics of students’ and tutors’ cognitive sphere in terms of research activity (RA) efficiency. Significant differences in flexibility and logic thinking between researchers with various levels of professional aptitude were traced. Students with high level of research potential (RP) showed a marked ability for situational analysis, knowledge implementation and consolidation, flexibility thinking and analytical style of thinking. Students with low level of RP demonstrated rigid thinking and limited capacity for abstraction. Relevant connections between RP components and certain characteristics of cognitive sphere were discovered.