Examining the Structural Relations among PSTs’ Scientific Epistemological Beliefs, Epistemic Emotions and Argumentativeness: Sample from Turkey

Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate structural relations among preservice science teachers’ scientific epistemological beliefs, epistemic emotions and argumentativeness. After validation of measurement results, a structural equation modeling analysis was implemented on the data covering 612 participants. Results showed that participants’ epistemological beliefs significantly predicted their emotions and argumentativeness. Also, their epistemic emotions significantly predicted their argumentativeness. To illustrate, a preservice science teacher believing that knowing in science should be evidenced may feel herself excited if she encounters with opposite ideas. Then, this positive feeling together with her sophisticated epistemological beliefs may support her decisions to participate in argumentation processes. Considering these findings several implications were suggested.