title: [Is epistemological meditation a feature of scientific activity?].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In research activities, critical thinking about mechanisms that control the selection of certain knowledge forms and correlative practices are unusual.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the levels of epistemological meditation in professional groups with different grades of expertise in research field.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prolective, comparative, cross-sectional study by means of validated questionnaire that measure posture (consistence in points of view about diverse scientific conceptions and activities), main indicator of epistemological meditation level. Three groups were included: 25 professional biomedical researchers (group "A"), 22 postgraduate professors of health sciences (group "B") and 16 postgraduate students of social sciences (group "C").
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most participants showed low scores in posture with not significant differences between groups (p > 0.05). However, group "B" after an educational intervention, showed significant increase in consistence points of view (p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Epistemological meditation about scientific work is not a feature of research activities in studied groups. The grades of expertise in research field do not have influence in posture development.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación Educativa y Formación Docente, IMSS de Guadalajara, Jal. irma.peralta@imss.gob.mx
authors.forename: Irma Concepción
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Peralta-Heredia
authors.forename: Leonardo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Viniegra-Velázquez
authors.forename: Héctor Fernando
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: González-Reyes
authors.forename: Elba Graciela
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Luce-González
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D019359:Knowledge; D012107:Research Design; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires