Cited by 2,494Social and Intergroup PsychologyDeath Anxiety and Social ExclusionPersonality Traits and Psychology

Individual differences in need for cognitive closure.

Webster, Donna M., Kruglanski, Arie W.·1994·Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Abstract

This article introduces an individual-difference measure of the need for cognitive closure. As a dispositional construct, the need for cognitive closure is presently treated as a latent variable manifested through several different aspects, namely, desire for predictability, preference for order and structure, discomfort with ambiguity, decisiveness, and close-mindedness. This article presents psychometric work on the measure as well as several validation studies including (a) a "known-groups" discrimination between populations assumed to differ in their need for closure, (b) discriminant and convergent validation with respect to related personality measures, and (c) replication of effects obtained with situational inductions of the need for closure. The present findings suggest that the Need for Closure Scale is a reliable and valid instrument of considerable potential utility in future "motivated social cognition" research.

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Crossref · 10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1049

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  • High need for cognitive closure manifests as a desire for predictability, preference for order and structure, discomfort with ambiguity, decisiveness, and close-mindedness.

    “High need for cognitive closure manifests as a desire for predictability, preference for order and structure, discomfort with ambiguity, decisiveness, and close-mindedness (Webster & Kruglanski, 1994).”

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Authors
Webster, D. M., & Kruglanski, A. W.
Affiliations
University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Venue
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
Published
1994
Volume
67
Issue
6
Pages
1049-1062
ISSN
  • 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
  • 1939-1315
OpenAlex
W4236213745
Cited by
2,494
References
0
Citations by year
2026: 98 · 2025: 145 · 2024: 128 · 2023: 117 · 2022: 141 · 2021: 146 · 2020: 154 · 2019: 175 · 2018: 144 · 2017: 125 · 2016: 105 · 2015: 106 · 2014: 105 · 2013: 87 · 2012: 84
FWCI
55.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health (5R01MH 4612-02)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords
need for cognitive closure, individual differences, personality traits, cognitive closure, decision-making
MeSH terms
Cognition, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Male, Social Behavior

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