本研究主旨在探討後形式思考信念的一般發展趨勢，研究對象為644位分佈於青年期後期至成人期的受試，以問卷法蒐集資料進行驗証性研究，資料分析採用計畫比較與百分比差異性考驗。結果發現：1.相對性思考的發展時機比形式性思考要晚，辯証性思考的發展時機比相對性思考要晚；2.青年期後期屬於形式性思考組的百分比高於成人前期與中、老年期的百分比。中、老年期屬於辯証性思考組的百分比高於青年期後期與成人前期的百分比。作者根據研究結果討論可能原因，並提出未來研究的建議。

The purpose of this study was in investigate the general developmental trajectory of postformal thinking beliefs. Subjects were 644 people, ranging from late adolescence to adulthood (age 16 to 80 years). A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool for the confirmatory research. Planned-contrasts and the testing of percentage difference were used for data analysis. The results were as follows：4. The developmental timing of relativistic thinking was later than the timing of formalistic thinking, the developmental timing of dialectical thinking was later than the timing of relativistic thinking；2. The percentage of formalistic thinkers in the late adolescence age group (16-23 years) was higher thank the early adulthood age group’s (24-40 years) and the middle、 late adulthood age group’s (41-80 years), the percentage of relativistic thinkers in the early adulthood age group was higher thank the middle、late adulthood age group’s, the percentage of dialectical thinkers in the middle、late adulthood age group was higher than the late adolescence age group’s and the early adulthood age group’s. The author discusses the possible reasons of the research findings and also proposed suggestions on future research.