The Age Concept of Contextual Relativism Becomes Relevant

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What is Contextual Relativism

Contextual relativism refers to a stage in a process of intellectual development. The proponent of the theory is William G. Perry. Given that the stages referred to are in the realm of students’ cognitive processes, the age that is relevant to the concept of contextual relativism falls primarily within the college years.

What Age is The Concept of Contextual Relativism Relevant?

Perry defined the stages of cognitive development as a scheme of intellectual development, having four stages. These he termed dualism, multiplicity, contextual relativism and commitment to relativism. While the scheme focuses on students and thus the college years, it may be said that any students experience these stages and thus age is not definitive. The concept may also be applied broadly to life experience and acquisition of knowledge and evaluation, not confined only to a university lecture room.

The first approach or phase in the levels of intellectual development is encompassed within a dualist mindset.

Students enter the classroom domain expecting the professor or authority figure to have the correct answers, which they will absorb and memorize. The popular approach is that of “black and white”, “right and wrong”. No questions are asked and no critical faculties are required. This is referred to as a notion of “objective truth”. Within the realm of educational advancement, professors will attempt to initiate the idea of critical thinking. This may be given through formal teaching, but is also ideally created by an environment of opportunities conducive to employing critical thinking faculties. Students are led to the next level, moving from dualism to multiplicity.

Multiplicity may be considered another extreme.

Here, all answers and opinions are valid. Diversity in human opinion is revered. “Truth is subjective” becomes the mantra as everyone’s thoughts or experiences are valued. This can be an exciting time of learning growth and at the same time a jump to the unknown of multiple possible answers.

The third stage embodied by the concept contextual relativism is a significant stage within the pattern

Relativists believe that “truth” depends on context. The context or frame of reference will determine whether something is “right or wrong”. Students are taught to begin evaluating solutions, by supported arguments and reasoning, assessing the fact that some ideas or answers may be inferior or superior to others. Professors are encouraged to facilitate the students’ recognition of the above by clearly raising the alternatives and the criteria by which they are judged.

Within the phase of contextual relativism students begin to include their own viewpoints as valid. Teachers and figures of authority may be respected as experts in a field but they are not held as the holder of all knowledge. Faculties of critical analysis and thinking become more attuned and students commence rejecting or accepting certain viewpoints. The opinion of the peer group may be important as the student places him or herself within this context. There might also be moments of uncertainty as choices need to be made amidst numerous possibilities.

The student begins to become assertive, not unlike the dualist phase. However, at this time, it is not a claim made as per the teacher’s viewpoint, but a gathering of information informing perspective as a result of a particular context. This is when the notion of knowledge being “constructed” comes into play. Thus, knowledge is thought to be constructed and contextual, rather than merely discovered.

The final phase in Perry’s scheme is commitment to relativism

In these instances new information constantly replaces old information in an ever shifting of contexts, time and place. What was relevant previously may now be revisited from a different perspective based on new data. This entails a fluid approach given the ever changing circumstances.

The caveat to Perry’s clearly defined stages is that there may be times when different approaches are relevant to different subject areas, without necessarily following the linear framework suggested. Someone might view a particular subject from a dualist perspective, while with another he or she favors a contextual relativist approach. Certain subjects such as math or science are conducive to dualism, whilst the arts and humanities may lean towards multiplicity. A person may be committed to relativism in an area of choice and display one of the other characteristics in another aspect of learning.

Resource by E.Trio

I am an online writer and soon to be published author. I grew up in Southern California, but I currently live in the Bay Area while I work on my books. I enjoy camping and hiking with my dog Max or just relaxing on the back porch while I write. Stay tuned for my first children’s book to be released about Max.

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