Abstract of Dissertation Presented to the Graduate School
 of the University of Florida in Partial Fulfillment of the
 Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy

 DISSIMILAR COGNITVE STYLES AND THEIR RELATIONSHIPS WITH
 UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT STRESS, MOTIVATION, AND ENGAGEMENT

 By

 Curtis R. Friedel

 December, 2006

Chair: Rick Rudd
Major Department: Agricultural Education and Communication

 Few studies have examined dissimilar cognitive style between faculty members

and students and its relationships with student stress, motivation and engagement. In the

search for variables explaining student engagement, researchers have examined the

cognitive level of instructional discourse, but few have examined the cognitive style of

the instructor as it corresponds to the cognitive style of the student. Identifying how

dissimilar learning styles relate to student stress and motivation may have implications

for increasing student engagement.

 Kirton's Adaption-Innovation theory provided the theoretical framework for this

study. An ex post facto design was used to accomplish the objectives of this study. Nine

undergraduate courses in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at the University

of Florida were administered four standardized instruments: Kirton's Adaption-

Innovation Inventory, Student-life Stress Inventory, Motivated Strategies for Learning

Questionnaire, and National Survey of Student Engagement. Dissimilar cognitive style