Correlations Between Tree Thinking and Acceptance of Evolution in Introductory Biology Students

Gibson, J Phil; Hoefnagels, Mariëlle H

doi:10.1186/s12052-015-0042-7

Evolution: Education and Outreach

Table 4 Responses to MATE pretest and posttest responses F09 and S10

From: Correlations Between Tree Thinking and Acceptance of Evolution in Introductory Biology Students

	Scientifically testable		Based on science		Supported by data		Scientifically valid theory		Organisms evolved		Humans evolved		Scientists accept
	M12	M2	M16	M4	M8	M6	M20	M10	M1	M19	M3	M15	M5	M17
F09 pretest
Strongly disagree	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.60	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.40	0.00	0.47
Disagree	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.40	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.47	0.13	0.40	0.07	0.33
Neither agree/disagree	0.20	0.27	0.07	0.27	0.00	0.13	0.07	0.07	0.00	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13	0.13
Agree	0.40	0.07	0.46	0.00	0.47	0.20	0.46	0.00	0.40	0.07	0.27	0.00	0.40	0.07
Strongly agree	0.40	0.00	0.40	0.00	0.53	0.00	0.40	0.00	0.53	0.00	0.40	0.07	0.40	0.00
F09 posttest
Strongly disagree	0.07	0.33	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.40	0.00	0.40	0.07	0.20	0.00	0.47
Disagree	0.07	0.40	0.07	0.40	0.00	0.47	0.00	0.47	0.00	0.33	0.00	0.60	0.00	0.33
Neither agree/disagree	0.20	0.13	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.20	0.27	0.07	0.20	0.27	0.20	0.13	0.27	0.13
Agree	0.33	0.07	0.33	0.00	0.40	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.13	0.00	0.13	0.07	0.33	0.07
Strongly agree	0.33	0.07	0.40	0.07	0.40	0.00	0.40	0.00	0.67	0.00	0.60	0.00	0.40	0.00

	Scientifically testable		Based on science		Supported by data		Scientifically valid theory		Organisms evolved		Humans evolved		Scientists accept
	M12	M2	M16	M4	M8	M6	M20	M10	M1	M19	M3	M15	M5	M17
S10 pretest
Strongly disagree	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.39	0.00	0.23
Disagree	0.00	0.38	0.15	0.38	0.00	0.23	0.08	0.38	0.08	0.31	0.00	0.23	0.08	0.38
Neither agree/disagree	0.31	0.15	0.23	0.31	0.08	0.23	0.16	0.31	0.00	0.23	0.31	0.23	0.23	0.23
Agree	0.54	0.23	0.38	0.08	0.62	0.23	0.38	0.00	0.38	0.15	0.23	0.15	0.46	0.15
Strongly agree	0.15	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.30	0.00	0.38	0.00	0.54	0.00	0.46	0.00	0.23	0.00
S10 posttest
Strongly disagree	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.54	0.00	0.39	0.00	0.38	0.00	0.46
Disagree	0.00	0.54	0.23	0.38	0.00	0.38	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.23	0.08	0.47	0.08	0.31
Neither agree/disagree	0.15	0.25	0.23	0.23	0.31	0.23	0.15	0.15	0.08	0.23	0.15	0.15	0.08	0.23
Agree	0.62	0.08	0.15	0.00	0.23	0.16	0.46	0.00	0.23	0.15	0.31	0.00	0.69	0.00
Strongly agree	0.23	0.00	0.39	0.08	0.46	0.00	0.39	0.00	0.69	0.00	0.46	0.00	0.15	0.00

Pretest	Earth age >20,000 years		Evolution explains traits		Generates predictions
Pretest	M11	M7	M18	M9	M13	M14
F09 pretest
strongly disagree	0.00	0.47	0.00	0.54	0.00	0.40
Disagree	0.07	0.27	0.00	0.33	0.07	0.53
Neither agree/disagree	0.27	0.27	0.00	0.13	0.13	0.07
Agree	0.33	0.00	0.47	0.00	0.60	0.00
Strongly agree	0.33	0.00	0.53	0.00	0.20	0.00
F09 posttest
Strongly disagree	0.07	0.47	0.00	0.60	0.07	0.40
Disagree	0.07	0.33	0.00	0.27	0.13	0.53
Neither agree/disagree	0.46	0.20	0.07	0.07	0.27	0.07
Agree	0.20	0.00	0.47	0.07	0.33	0.00
Strongly agree	0.20	0.00	0.47	0.00	0.20	0.00

Posttest	Earth age >20,000 years		Evolution explains traits		Generates predictions
Posttest	M11	M7	M18	M9	M13	M14
S10 pretest
Strongly disagree	0.00	0.61	0.00	0.31	0.00	0.38
Disagree	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.23	0.08	0.23
Neither agree/disagree	0.15	0.08	0.23	0.31	0.00	0.31
Agree	0.46	0.08	0.54	0.15	0.84	0.08
Strongly agree	0.39	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.08	0.00
S10 posttest
Strongly disagree	0.00	0.62	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.46
Disagree	0.08	0.15	0.00	0.69	0.00	0.15
Neither agree/disagree	0.08	0.23	0.15	0.08	0.15	0.31
Agree	0.38	0.00	0.62	0.00	0.62	0.08
Strongly agree	0.46	0.00	0.23	0.00	0.23	0.00

Percentage of Likert scale response for 20 statements about evolution (designated M1–M20) from the MATE pretest and posttest in the non-tree-thinking (F09) and tree-thinking (S10) semesters. Pairs of positively and negatively worded statements are organized under statement topics. Columns with negatively worded statement responses are shaded.
^aStatements: M1. Organisms existing today are the result of evolutionary processes that have occurred over millions of years. M2. The theory of evolution is incapable of being scientifically tested. M3. Modem humans are the product of evolutionary processes that have occurred over millions of years. M4. The theory of evolution is based on speculation and not valid scientific observation and testing. M5. Most scientists accept evolutionary theory to be a scientifically valid theory. M6. The available data are ambiguous as to whether evolution actually occurs. M7. The age of the earth is less than 20,000 years. M8. There is a significant body of data which supports evolutionary theory. M9. Organisms exist today in essentially the same form in which they always have. M10. Evolution is not a scientifically valid theory. M11. The age of the earth is at least 4 billion years. M12. Current evolutionary theory is the result of sound scientific research and methodology. M13. Evolutionary theory generates testable predictions with respect to the characteristics of life. M14. The theory of evolution cannot be correct since it disagrees with the account of creation in different religious texts. M15. Humans exist today in essentially the same form in which they always have. M16. Evolutionary theory is supported by factual, historical, and laboratory data. M17. Much of the scientific community doubts if evolution occurs. M18. The theory of evolution brings meaning to the diverse characteristics and behaviors observed in living forms. M19. With few exceptions, organisms on earth came into existence at about the same time. M20. Evolution is a scientifically valid theory.

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ISSN: 1936-6434

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