Relationship between Cognitive Styles in Online Courses and Personality Traits among Iranian Male and Female EAP Students

In today’s world, online education and digital learning are increasingly evolving and are on the agenda of many organizations. The study aimed to uncover the relationship between holistic/analytic cognitive style in online courses and big five personality traits among Iranian male and female English for Academic Purposes students. In this correlational research, the participants were selected via convenience sampling, and there were 100 students (50 male and 50 female) whose ages ranged between 20 and 26. They were senior students of executive management. For obtaining the essential data about students’ personality type and learning style, the researcher used the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI: Form M) and the Learning Style Inventory-version 3 (LSI3). These instruments are designed to identify the individual characteristics of students. The MBTI and the LSI3 were distributed at the end of the semester, and the data were analyzed by SPSS using the related statistical tests. Findings showed a statistically significant relationship among the variables under the study, specifically the extroversion factor, which was an influential personality type in online learning. Thus, it is necessary to pay full attention to each student’s characteristics, style, and personality traits to find the best teaching method.