| Cognitive style refers to one's consistent and individualized way of organizing and processing information, so it is one of the most important variables showing the differences between individuals. The cognitive style polymerization theory presented by Riding is a comparatively thorough one whose orientation is centered on cognition. But at the present time, there are still controversial ideas about the reliability of Riding's cognitive style test abroad. Domestically the relevant study is limited to the interpretation of his theory and there is no research on the rationality and applicability of the test. The relevant study is mainly in the application of it in China, which emphasizes on the affect of cognitive style on individuals, but there is very little research on the mechanism of cognitive style dimension in the stages of cognition processing. My research is based on cognitive style polymerization theory but revises it and tests it with psychometrical quality test by introducing cognitive style analysis test. As a result, the primary norm for Chinese college students is made. Combining psychometric test, cognitive psychological method and interviews, with the focus on the preference representation of individuals of verbal-imagery cognitive style in working memory and long-term memory, this dissertation deals with the mechanism of verbal-imagery cognitive style dimension systematically. It is divided into the following five parts: The first part is the theoretical study. It mainly includes: 1. A summary of the study of cognitive style theory, which expounds the development of cognitive style theory; 2. An introduction to the three orientations of cognitive style study; 3. The content of cognitive style polymerization theory and its testing method; 4. The multiple theories concerning memory and the features of information presentation and its coding; 5. A survey of the study of the mechanism of cognitive style in memory system in the past. The second part is the thesis and the research plan. 1. An analysis of the problems in the past study; 2. The presentation of the concrete thinking; 3. The formulation of the research plan; 4. The argumentation of the theoretical and practical significance of the research. The third part is the revision of the cognitive style test and the creation of the norm for Chinese college students. The original CSA is revised. 508 college students are tested and the revised test is checked with psychometrical quality test. The result shows that all the items in the revised test have quite good differentiability and the test has quite satisfactory construct validity. After the reliability of the test is examined, it shows that this test has quite good internal consistency and reliability, which have reached the level of reliability and validity required by psychometrics. In the end, the norm of eachdimension of the test for Chinese college students is set. The comparison between the two dimensions of cognitive style in terms of sex, grade, city and country, sciences and arts shows no obvious difference. This means that sex, age, environment and major have no remarkable influence on the cognition of college students. The fourth part is the experiment. It includes: First the preference of verbal-imagery cognitive style in working memory, which includes the following aspects: 1.The relation between verbal-imagery cognitive style and the span of different working memories. The result shows that verbal-imagery cognitive style dimension and working memory span of reading and visual space are not related to each other, which proves the achievement of the former studies. The result also supports the theory that cognitive style and liquid wisdom are not related, so it also proves the construct validity of cognitive psychology. 2. The processing preference of individual verbal-imagery cognitive style in the subsidiary system of working memory concerning reading comprehension. Individuals of verbal cognitive style prefer to use the function of phonological loop to process the information of reading comprehension, while individuals of imagery cognitive style prefer to use the function of visuo-spatial sketchpad to process the information of reading comprehension, especially when they deal with rather difficult reading comprehension materials. So the mechanism of verbal-imagery cognitive style in subsidiary system of working memory is proved. Secondly, the preference of verbal-imagery cognitive style in long-termmemory, which shows that: 1. The individuals of verbal and imagery cognitive style show no obvious difference in their speech and idea presentation in long-term memory. 2. The individuals of verbal-imagery cognitive style show certain differences in their speech and idea presentation in semantic memory. Compared with individuals of imagery cognitive style, individuals of verbal cognitive style show preference of re-cognition of abstract words, but this preference is hidden in the re-cognition of concrete words by dual-coding effect. 3. Individuals of verbal-imagery cognitive style show no obvious difference in their speech and idea presentation in episodic memory. 4. Individuals of verbal-imagery cognitive style show obvious differences in the strategic choice in episodic memory. Namely, individuals of verbal cognitive style prefer elaboration of classification and semantic method, while individuals of imagery cognitive style prefer elaboration of pictures and scenes. The fifth part is the conclusion. First, an overall discussion, which focuses on the revision of cognitive style testing tool and the psychometric quality test, the establishment of college students norm and the trans-cultural comparison of the features of cognitive style, and the preference presentation of individuals of verbal-imagery cognitive style in memory system. Secondly, an overall conclusion, which includes the following aspects: 1. The revised cognitive style analysis test has the acceptable index of psychometrics; 2. The primary norm of Chinese college students is set and Chinese...
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