Analysis of Collaborative Problem Solving Based on Thinking Styles

In this study, we analyzed the process of collaborative problem solving from the viewpoint of thinking styles. Thinking styles are defined as a preferred way of thinking, and here three styles, Legislative, Executive, and Judicial styles[1] were adopted. In this study, we constructed groups whose members display different thinking styles, and they solved a creative task collaboratively. The results are summarized as follows. (1) It was difficult to effect distributed collaboration based on thinking styles. If anything, dominative collaboration by Legislative thinking as the leader was observed. (2) Only with the Legislative style could we anticipate the degree of Proposing. Thus, Legislative thinker participated actively in Proposing, whereas Executive and Judicial thinkers did not do so in Doing and Evaluating, respectively.