Hafizul proposes a construct called "Truncated Belief" to describe students' fixated beliefs about the certainty and stability of knowledge. The construct is comprised of three dimensions: Perceived Credibility of educators, Trust in educators' projected confidence, and Obedience towards educators. Extremely truncated beliefs could lead to rigid or indecisive thinking. Hafizul plans future studies to validate the Truncated Belief model and examine links to other constructs like cognitive style and critical thinking ability. The study aims to better understand students' epistemological beliefs and potentially develop interventions to address fixated beliefs.

1. In Search of Explanation and Conceptualization
“Hafizul’s Construct”
Encompassing Epistemological Beliefs Framework
Promise me you’ll keep reading
2015

2. Problem of Nomenclature
• Terminology has caused much consternation resulting
a chaotic conceptualization of scientific constructs
• Sometimes multiple terms are used interchangeably
and sometimes they’re not. Sometimes the meanings
of terms are explained, sometimes they’re assumed
– So, I need systematic classification and deep level of
comprehension of other related constructs
– This study designed to give name/label my proposed
construct based on theoretical considerations

3. How My Mind Works
Epistemological
Beliefs
Epistemological
Judgment
Justification of
Assertions
Omniscient
Authority
Judgment
of
Assertions
Source
Reputation
Model of Literature Study
Model of Content-Exploration from latest EFA

4. Epistemological Beliefs
• Hofer & Pintrich (1997) define it as “to beliefs
about knowledge and knowing”
• Brownlee, Purdie, and Boulton-Lewis (2001)
define it as “beliefs about knowing that reflect an
individual’s views on what knowledge is, how it
can be gained, its degree of certainty, the limits
and criteria for determining knowledge”
– the abstract beliefs of lay folk that address questions
relevant to professional epistemologists, typically
about the nature of knowledge and knowing

5. Epistemological Beliefs
• Two critical aspects of this epistemological
belief system are important to keep in mind:
“Whether or not these beliefs
develop in synchrony and what is
meant by more mature beliefs”

6. (1st), Synchronized!
• In 2004, Schommer-Aikins attempted to clarify
that these beliefs may or may not develop in
synchrony. If they do develop in synchrony, then
stage-like patterns may be evident as has been
hypothesized by others
– (Baxter-Magolda, 2004; Kitchener & King, 1981)
• For example, young learners may come to believe
that knowledge is highly complex, yet during their
adolescent years they may not have wrestled
with the notion that knowledge is changing
– (Boyes & Chandler, 1992).

7. The important point, practically speaking, is that
because a learner appears mature on one or two
beliefs, it cannot be assumed that the learner is
consistently mature across all beliefs.

8. (2nd) Mature Beliefs!
• Mature beliefs do not mean that the learner is at
the extreme end of a spectrum
– (Schommer-Aikins, 2004)
• Mature beliefs are NOT abbreviated
• As their beliefs began to support higher-order
thinking, their belief about the stability of
knowledge would be revised to conclude much of
knowledge changes. The mature belief is
encompassing variability in knowledge

9. Mature beliefs do not denigrate remembering facts,
adhering to authority, or seeking definitive answers.
Rather, mature beliefs will tend to support higher
order thinking the majority of time

10. (Kitchener, 2002)
Individuals appear to pass through something like an initial stage of absolutism or
externalism, appealing to external authority for what is knowledge.
This is followed by a stage of individualism (subjectivism) in which knowledge is
inside the individual
Finally, individuals reach something like a
stage of interactionism or relationalism,
in which internal and external factors
have to be integrated and coordinated in the right kind of way

11. • Prototypically, individuals initially believe that
knowledge is certain and stable
– either True or False
– and can be handed down by an Authority
• Overtime, they become convinced that
knowledge is more complex and relativistic,
accept the uncertainty and changeability of
truth, and shift to the notion that knowledge is
construed individually

12. Epistemological Beliefs
Questionnaire
• Schommer (1990) paper-and-pencil self-report
instrument (Epistemological Questionnaire, EQ)
comprises five hypothesized dimensions of
Epistemological Beliefs:
– Beliefs in the source of knowledge (Omniscient Authority)
– The certainty of knowledge (Certain Knowledge)
– The structure of knowledge (Simple Knowledge),
– The speed of learning (Quick Learning)
– The ability to acquire knowledge (Innate Ability)

14. Epistemological Judgment
• Epistemological Judgments defined as :
– Judgments of knowledge claims in relation to their
beliefs about the nature of knowledge and
knowing
– Judgments of lay folk that mimic those of
professional epistemologists, normally pertaining
to the evaluation and justification of certain
assertions

15. “The Analysis of Knowledge”
(Steup, 2006)
This form of personal epistemological
research is not merely concerned with
how individuals come to know, but
with how an individual evaluates and
justifies certain assertions

16. How can we Judge
other People Assertions?
(Steup, 2006)
1. Assessments of the validity of assertions of others
2. Explanations for why assertions compete
3. Evaluations of the certainty of one’s own beliefs
about an issue
4. Decisions about the criteria that would justify an
assertion.

17. The latter dimension, Steup (2006)
concerns the criteria of making
Judgment of Assertions
Objective
(Evidence, Plausibility, and Reputation of Fig)
Subjective
(Intuition, Emotions, and Trust)

18. Don’t question my Authority
or put me in the box, cause
I’m not!
-Radiohead
I notice that Lecturing from Lecturer is
one of primary activity for students to
gain insights and knowledge
I notice that lecturers had competence
to teach, but we can’t assume they are
always telling the truth
It’s really dangerous to construct our
knowledge recklessly. We can’t took
every information from our lecturer
for granted.
No Pernyataan STS TS S SS
1 Seringkali saya hanya belajar dengan
PPT dosen sebelum menghadapi Ujian
2 Saya memiliki kadar kepercayaan yang
tinggi dengan perkataan dosen
3 Dosen adalah pakar
4 Saya sering meninjau kembali klaim atau
statement yang diberikan dosen melalui
sumber lain
5 Saya patuh dengan dosen demi
keberlangsungan perkuliahan saya
6 Saya percaya dosen-dosen fakultas
psikologi UI memberikan pengetahuan
yang akurat
7 Dosen adalah sumber kebenaran
8 Semakin tinggi pendidikan dosen,
semakin saya yakin dengan informasi
yang diberikan
9 Dalam berargumen, saya sering merujuk
pada perkataan dosen saya
10 Dosen adalah fasilitas
11 Dosen adalah orangtua saya yang
sebaiknya saya patuhi
12 Saya diajarkan untuk berargumentasi
logis selama belajar di fakultas psikologi
13 Kebenaran itu relatif
14 Saya mengisi EDOM (Evaluasi Dosen
Oleh Mahasiswa) dengan serius
15 Rata-rata dosen psikologi UI memiliki
pemahaman penuh dengan materi yang
diajarkannya
16 Mematuhi perkataan dosen dapat
membuat saya mendapatkan nilai yang
saya harapkan
17 Saya percaya dengan dosen yang yakin
ketika menyampaikan informasi
18 Kontribusi dosen sangat besar terhadap
pengetahuan yang saya miliki
19 Meski saya mendeteksi kesalahan pada
informasi yang diberikan dosen, saya
lebih baik tidak berdebat dengan dosen
tersebut
20 Saya ragu dengan kebenaran informasi
yang diberikan dosen jika dia
menerangkannya dengan ragu-
ragu/terkesan tidak yakin

19. How My Mind Works (2)
Epistemological
Beliefs
Epistemological
Judgment
Justification of
Assertions
Omniscient
Authority
Judgment
of
Assertions
Source
Reputation
Model of Literature Study
Model of Content-Exploration from latest EFA

20. Discussing..

21. This page is intentionally left blank due to inappropriate, seductive, and
barbaric discussions of me and my sailor-mouthed colleagues

23. Hypothesized Factors
of Hafizul’s Construct
– Student’s Perceived Credibility
• Individual perception about credibility of an informant
(educator) whom perceived as authority figures in
educational context
– Student ‘s Perceived Trust towards Authority’s
Projected Confidence
• Degree of individual trust towards authority’s projected
confidence when transferring knowledge in educational
context
– Student’s Obedience
• Degree of individual obedience towards authority figures in
educational context

24. (F1) Perceived
Credibility
– Dosen adalah sumber kebenaran (pada
domain tertentu)
– Semakin tinggi pendidikan dosen,
semakin saya yakin dengan informasi
yang diberikan
– Dosen adalah pakar (pada domain
tertentu)
– Rata-rata dosen psikologi UI memiliki
pemahaman penuh dengan materi yang
diajarkannya
– Dalam berargumen, saya sering merujuk
pada perkataan dosen saya
– Saya memiliki kadar kepercayaan yang
tinggi dengan perkataan dosen
– Saya percaya dosen-dosen fakultas
psikologi UI memberikan pengetahuan
yang akurat
– Saya sering meninjau kembali klaim atau
statement yang diberikan dosen melalui
sumber lain
Conceptually defined as :
Persepsi individu mengenai
kredibilitas agen pemberi
informasi (penyelenggara
pendidikan) yang dianggap
memiliki otoritas di institusi
pendidikan

25. (F2) Projected
Confidence
– Saya percaya dengan
dosen yang yakin ketika
menyampaikan informasi
– Saya ragu dengan
kebenaran informasi yang
diberikan dosen jika dia
menerangkannya dengan
ragu-ragu/terkesan tidak
yakin
– Kontribusi dosen sangat
besar terhadap
pengetahuan yang saya
miliki
Conceptually defined as :
Derajat kepercayaan individu
terhadap pihak otoritas
terkait keyakinan diri yang
diproyeksikannya dalam
menyampaikan informasi di
institusi pendidikan.

26. (F3) Obedience
– Saya patuh dengan dosen demi
keberlangsungan perkuliahan
saya
– Dosen adalah orangtua saya yang
sebaiknya saya patuhi
– Mematuhi perkataan dosen
dapat membuat saya
mendapatkan nilai yang saya
harapkan
– Meski saya mendeteksi kesalahan
pada informasi yang diberikan
dosen, saya lebih baik tidak
berdebat dengan dosen tersebut
– Seringkali saya hanya belajar
dengan PPT dosen sebelum
menghadapi ujian.
Conceptually defined as :
Kepatuhan individu pada
pihak yang dianggap
memiliki otoritas di
institusi pendidikan

27. Anomaly!!!
• Item [Kebenaran itu relatif]
– Item ini menggambarkan keseluruhan konstruk/tidak
merupakan kovariat item lainnya.
– 100 dari 103 N menjawab pada kategori setuju
• Item [Dosen adalah fasilitas]
– Item ini merangkum konten ketiga faktor sekaligus
– Item ini ambigu, memiliki dua makna, dosen sebagai
objek? atau jabatan?
– Item ini punya pemaknaan moral, diduga karena isu
dehumanisasi

28. Next Step?
Epistemological
Beliefs
Epistemological
Judgment
Justification of
Assertions
Omniscient
Authority
Judgment
of
Assertions
Source
Reputation
Model of Literature Study
Model of Content-Exploration from latest EFA

29. Endless Nameless
Nirvana
?
Obedience
Perceived
Credibility
Projected
Confidence

30. Composites?
Or Dimensional?
Perceived
Credibility
Projected
Confidence
Obedience

31. “TRUNCATED BELIEF”
Encompassing Epistemological Beliefs on
Students in Higher-Education
Hafizul
2015

32. TRUNCATED
BELIEF
Perceived
Credibility
Projected
Confidence
Obedience
Individual perception about
credibility of an informant
(educator) whom perceived
as authority figures
Degree of individual trust
towards authority’s
projected confidence when
transferring knowledge
Degree of individual
obedience towards
authority figures in
educational context
Individual’s fixated
believe that knowledge
is certain and stable

33. (gF)TRUNCATED
BELIEF
(Schommer-Aikins, 2004)
• It has been hypothesized with this particular
belief, an extreme truncated belief in the stability
of knowledge, would lead to either
• Rigid/non-adaptive thinking
– (Knowledge never changes, hence, I cannot
learn anything that is inconsistent with what
I already know) or
• Noncommittal/Indecisive thinking
– (Knowledge is in constant flux with no end in
sight)
• The truncated rigid thinking would limit learning
to that which fits into prior knowledge acquired
earlier in life at the least, or failure to transition
to cognitive maturity at the worst
• Noncommittal thinking could lead to an inability
to make decisions (or gullibility to follow
everyone else’s decisions) at the least, or to a
mental breakdown at the worst
Truncated (Adj) : similar to abbreviate,
“cut-off”, mutilated, curtail. etc.
Perry suggested in 1968, the
epistemological belief system theory
asserts that as learners’ beliefs
mature, their beliefs become more
encompassing with a strong tendency
toward one side of a continuum
Defined as :
Degree of Individual’s fixated
believe that knowledge is
certain and stable.
Capturing individual degree of
subjective trust on assertions,
reputation, and adherence towards
authorities.

34. Dimensions of
Truncated Belief
– Student’s Perceived Credibility
• Individual perception about credibility of an informant
(educator) whom perceived as authority figures in
educational context
– Student ‘s Perceived Trust towards Authority’s
Projected Confidence
• Degree of individual trust towards authority’s projected
confidence when transferring knowledge in educational
context
– Student’s Obedience
• Degree of individual obedience towards authority figures in
educational context

35. To be continue..
• Study 5 :
5a : Truncated Belief Model CFA
5b : In search of Validity, Truncated Belief : Link
with Cognitive Style, Power-Distance, Source
Miscalibration, Epistemic Curiosity, Critical
Thinking Ability & Cognitive Flexibility
• Study 6 :
Emergence of Intervention. Blinded by Trust?

36. “There's always a siren singing you to shipwreck”
Radiohead

37. References
• Barchfeld, P., & Sodian, B. (2009). Differentiating theories from evidence: The development of
• argument evaluation abilities in adolescence and early adulthood. Informal Logic, 29, 396–416.
• Brownlee, J., Purdie, N., & Boulton-Lewis, G. (2001). Changing epistemological beliefs in pre-service
teacher education students. Teaching in Higher Education, 6(2), 248–268.
• Baxter Magolda, M. B. (2004). Evolution of a constructivist conceptualization of epistemological
reflection. Educational Psychologist, 39(1), 31–42.
• Boyes, M. C., & Chandler, M. (1992). Cognitive development, epistemic doubt, and identity formation
in adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 21, 277–304. doi:10.1007/ BF01537019.
• Brownlee, J. (2004). Teacher education students’ epistemological beliefs: Developing a relational
model of teaching. Research in Education, 72, 1–17.
• Hofer, B. K., & Pintrich, P. R. (1997). The development of epistemological theories: Beliefs about
knowledge and knowing and their relation to learning. Review of Educational Research, 67, 88–140.
• Kitchener, R. (2002). Folk epistemology: An introduction. New Ideas in Psychology, 20, 89–105.
• Schommer, M. (1990). Effects of beliefs about the nature of knowledge on comprehension. Journal of
Educational Psychology, 82(3), 498–504.
• Schommer-Aikins, M. (2004). Explaining the epistemological belief system: Introducing the
embedded systemic model and coordinated research approach. Educational Psychologist, 39, 19–29.
• Schommer-Aikins, M., & Easter, M. (2009). Ways of knowing and willingness to argue. The Journal of
Psychology, 143(2), 117–132.
• Steup, M. (2006, January 16). The analysis of knowledge. Retrieved December 13, 2008 from
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/knowledge-analysis/