The developing field of intellectual styles: Four recent endeavours

The field of intellectual styles is one that has been constantly searching for its identity within the larger context of literatures such as education, psychology, and business and the levels of interest in the notion of styles have waxed and waned in the past seven decades. There has been, however, a steady growth in the amount of styles research in the past two decades. This article focuses on major endeavours that have emerged in the past two decades by highlighting four key areas of research development. First, it introduces six integrative models of styles. Second, it discusses two approaches to linking the styles literature to the larger context of psychological, educational, and business literatures. Third, it introduces Sternberg's theory of mental self-government—the most recent and the most general theoretical individual model of styles. Finally, this article presents empirical work that has captured the essence of all three preceding types of work. The article concludes with a deliberation on the value of these research activities for the advancement of the field and also makes recommendations for future research.

Research Highlights► Six integrative style models have brought together seemingly dispersed work. ► The styles literature can be situated within the contexts of related disciplines. ► Intellectual styles play critical roles in education and in the workplace. ► Further integration of existing work would propel the field to new heights.