Cited by 2,379Social and Intergroup PsychologyDeath Anxiety and Social ExclusionPsychology of Social Influence

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Motivated closing of the mind: “Seizing” and “freezing”

Kruglanski, Arie W., Webster, Donna M.·1996·Psychological Review

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Abstract

A theoretical framework is outlined in which the key construct is the need for (nonspecific) cognitive closure. The need for closure is a desire for definite knowledge on some issue. It represents a dimension of stable individual differences as well as a situationally evocable state. The need for closure has widely ramifying consequences for social-cognitive phenomena at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and group levels of analysis. Those consequences derive from 2 general tendencies, those of urgency and performance. The urgency tendency represents an individual's inclination to attain closure as soon as possible, and the permanence tendency represents an individual's inclination to maintain it for as long as possible. Empirical evidence for present theory attests to diverse need for closure effects on fundamental social psychological phenomena, including impression formation, stereotyping, attribution, persuasion, group decision making, and language use in intergroup contexts.

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Background
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Biernat, M., & Billings, L. S. (2001) · doi:10.1002/9780470998519.ch12 · Cited by 19
Assessing the Development of Cross-Cultural Competence in Soldiers
McCloskey, M. J., Grandjean, A., Behymer, K. J., & Ross, K. G. (2010) · Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) · doi:10.21236/ada533959 · Cited by 19
Fear of Crime and the Psychology of Risk
Jackson, J., & Gouseti, I. (2013) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-5690-2_660 · Cited by 19
Exploring the influence of generative artificial intelligence anxiety on problematic ChatGPT use: the fear of missing out and personality traits
Chen, Y.-H. (2025) · Universal Access in the Information Society · doi:10.1007/s10209-025-01205-7 · Cited by 18
“This concept of NFCC describes the desire of individuals to have a comprehensible and explanatory answer to external information and stimuli, thus avoiding a state of vagueness and confusion [69 ].”
The effect of the normative context on intergroup discrimination: implications for the scientific value of exact and conceptual replications
Anier, N., Roebroeck, É., Kleinlogel, E. P., Badea, C., Nugier, A., Berthon, M., & Guimond, S. (2019) · International Journal of Intercultural Relations · doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2019.07.006 · Cited by 18
Linking the behavioral immune system to COVID-19 vaccination intention: The mediating role of the need for cognitive closure and vaccine hesitancy
Solak, Ç., Peker-Dural, H., Karlıdağ, S., & Peker, M. (2021) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2021.111245 · Cited by 18
“NCC refers to “the desire for a firm answer to a question and an aversion towards ambiguity” (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996, p. 264).”
The psychology of getting busy: Multitasking as a consequence of goal activation.
Szumowska, E., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2022) · Journal of Experimental Psychology General · doi:10.1037/xge0001077 · Cited by 20
Self-citation
The impact of clinical uncertainty in the graduate medical education (GME) learning environment: A mixed-methods study
Johnson, M. W., Gheihman, G., Thomas, H. R., Schiff, G. D., Olson, A. P. J., & Begin, A. S. (2022) · Medical Teacher · doi:10.1080/0142159x.2022.2058383 · Cited by 20
A latent profile analysis of COVID-19 conspiracy beliefs: Associations with thinking styles, mistrust, socio-political control, need for closure and verbal intelligence
Jones, C., Galbraith, N., Boyda, D., Martin, D., & Jackson, K. (2023) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2023.112155 · Cited by 17
Value frames in discourse supporting transgender athlete bans
Martin, K., & Rahilly, E. P. (2023) · Discourse & Society · doi:10.1177/09579265231187058 · Cited by 18
“Social psychologists have long noted the human need for cognitive closure which demands a firm answer to a question, an aversion toward ambiguity and a desire for certainty (Kruglanski and Webster, 1996).”
Background
Target hierarchy-guided knowledge tracing : Fine-grained knowledge state modeling
Sun, X., Zhang, K., Shen, S., Wang, F., Guo, Y., & Liu, Q. (2024) · Expert Systems with Applications · doi:10.1016/j.eswa.2024.123898 · Cited by 20
Architectural styles of curiosity in global Wikipedia mobile app readership
Zhou, D., Patankar, S. P., Lydon‐Staley, D. M., Zurn, P., Gerlach, M., & Bassett, D. S. (2024) · Science Advances · doi:10.1126/sciadv.adn3268 · Cited by 19
Episodic memories as building blocks of identity processing styles and life domains satisfaction: Examining need satisfaction and need for cognitive closure in memories
Bouizegarene, N., & Philippe, F. L. (2016) · Memory · doi:10.1080/09658211.2015.1034138 · Cited by 16
Examining relationships among epistemic motivation, perspective taking, and prejudice: A test of two explanatory models
Sparkman, D. J., & Blanchar, J. C. (2017) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2017.03.049 · Cited by 18
“Generally thought of as broader than the need for cognitive closure construct (e.g., Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), Openness to Experience is a Big-Five personality dimension that drives social experience, interpersonal interactions, values, and attitudes (McCrae, 1996).”
BackgroundInfluential
Circumventing resistance to novel information: Piquing curiosity through strategic information revelation
Wright, S. A., Clarkson, J. J., & Kardes, F. R. (2018) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2017.12.010 · Cited by 18
“Lastly, though revealing novel information stimulates curiosity (see Experiment 2), some individuals may view novel information as inherently threatening to their existing attitudes (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996) and thus maintain resistance despite the heightened awareness of a knowledge gap.”
Background
Techniques of Social Influence
Doliński, D. (2015) · Routledge eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781315746876 · Cited by 37
Conflicts of Interest in Public Policy Research
MacCoun, R. J. (2005) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511610332.018 · Cited by 18
“Because of such problems, Thibaut and Walker (1978) argued that the inquisitorial method is to be preferred for “truth conflicts,” purely cognitive disagreements in which the parties are disinterested (or have shared interests) and simply want to discover the correct answer.”
Background
Minimal and maximal goal orientation and reactions to norm violations
Fritsche, I., Kessler, T., Mummendey, A., & Neumann, J. (2008) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.481 · Cited by 18
Alcohol's effect on aggression identification: A two-channel theory.
Lange, J. E. (2002) · Psychology of Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1037//0893-164x.16.1.47 · Cited by 18
Auditors' Levels of Dispositional Need for Closure and Effects on Hypothesis Generation and Confidence
Bailey, C. D., Daily, C. M., & Phillips, T. J. (2011) · Behavioral Research in Accounting · doi:10.2308/bria-50021 · Cited by 18
Tolerance For Ambiguity: An Investigation On Its Effect On Student Design Performance
Mohammed, S., Okudan, G., & Ogot, M. (2020) · 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition Proceedings · doi:10.18260/1-2--909 · Cited by 9
Bicultural Terror Management: Identity Hybridity Moderates the Effect of Mortality Salience on Biculturals’ Familiarity Versus Novelty Seeking Tendency
Zhang, R., Schimel, J., & Faucher, E. H. (2014) · Self and Identity · doi:10.1080/15298868.2014.932835 · Cited by 7
“One line of work based on lay epistemology theory (Kruglanski, 1989; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996) suggests that differing needs for cognitive closure or structure determine two broad terror management strategies.”
Background

Authors: Kruglanski, A. W., & Webster, D. M.
Affiliations: University of Maryland, College Park (US)
ORCID: Kruglanski, Arie W.
Venue: Psychological Review
Publisher: American Psychological Association (APA)
Published: 1996-04
Volume: 103
Issue: 2
Pages: 263-283
ISSN: 0033-295X (ISSN-L)
1939-1471
DOI: 10.1037/0033-295x.103.2.263
OpenAlex: W1994106556
Cited by: 2,379
References: 87
Citations by year: 2026: 105 · 2025: 104 · 2024: 75 · 2023: 78 · 2022: 110 · 2021: 130 · 2020: 150 · 2019: 96 · 2018: 135 · 2017: 107 · 2016: 98 · 2015: 92 · 2014: 107 · 2013: 88 · 2012: 108
FWCI: 80.97
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Locations: Psychological Review (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: National Institutes of Health (5r01mh052578-05, 5k05mh001213-03)
National Institute of Mental Health (1R01 MH 52578, KO5/MH01213)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Social and Intergroup Psychology
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Psychology of Social Influence
Keywords: need for closure, cognitive closure, impression formation, stereotyping, attribution, persuasion, group decision making, individual differences, social cognition
MeSH terms: Cognition, Decision Making, Humans, Intelligence, Language, Personality

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Motivated closing of the mind: “Seizing” and “freezing”

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