Uncertainty orientation and cooperative learning: individual differences within and across cultures

Abstract

Four studies are presented with different samples of students (grade school, high school, university, teachers) from different cultures (Canadian, German, Iranian). Across these samples it was found that, when asked to state their learning preferences, all samples preferred cooperative learning to other types of learning. However, this preference was greater for uncertainty-oriented persons than certainty-oriented persons as predicted by the theory of uncertainty orientation (Sorrentino & Short 1986). Also as predicted, when actually placed in different learning situations, whereas uncertainty-oriented students had a greater preference and performed better in a cooperative situation (the Jigsaw) than a traditional expository situation, certainty-oriented students were more negative and performed worse in the cooperative than traditional learning situation. Student teachers showed similar preferences as a function of their uncertainty orientation. Implications for advocates of cooperative learning, as well as other forms that do not account for individual differences, are discussed.