Studying the cognitive development of college students, educational psychologist William G. Perry set out the concept of dualistic thinking in his model of intellectual development involving nine levels, published in 1970. Dualism refers to the first level of intellectual capacity, to understand good and evil in black and white, sans intervening shades. In dualistic thinking, students typically tend to depend on figures of authority as benchmarks on what is right or wrong rather than analysing facts. At this level of intellectual development, they tend to base themselves on facts and figures, not abstract concepts. An understanding and realisation of this model could enable students to develop intellectually beyond the level. Perry’s model serves as a framework that today remains part of college teaching systems in many western contexts.
