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

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 86 of the 87 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

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

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

Open this paper in CoChat — free account

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.

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1037/0033-295x.103.2.263

Cites

86 of 86 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Recomputing p-values needs the paper’s full text.

Claims the paper makes

This paper’s full text isn’t openly available, so its claims and self-check weren’t run. The registry and citation checks still apply.

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

The moderator-mediator variable distinction in social psychological research: Conceptual, strategic, and statistical considerations
Baron, R. M., & Kenny, D. A. (1986) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-3514.51.6.1173 · Cited by 91,532
Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior
Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1985) · doi:10.1007/978-1-4899-2271-7 · Cited by 26,772
Judgment under Uncertainty: Heuristics and Biases
Tversky, A., & Kahneman, D. (1975) · Utility, Probability, and Human Decision Making · doi:10.1007/978-94-010-1834-0_8 · Cited by 22,650
A theory of social comparison processes
Festinger, L. (1954) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/001872675400700202 · Cited by 20,926
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Morvan, C., & O’Connor, A. (2017) · Macat Library eBooks · doi:10.4324/9781912282432 · Cited by 18,284
The Standard Edition of the Complete Psychological Works of Sigmund Freud
Freud, S. (1953) · Cited by 17,730
The psychology of interpersonal relations
Heider, F. (1958) · American Sociological Review · doi:10.2307/2089062 · Cited by 17,189
Intrinsic Motivation and Self-Determination in Human Behavior
Miller, K. A. J., Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (1988) · Contemporary Sociology A Journal of Reviews · doi:10.2307/2070638 · Cited by 15,406
Culture's Consequences: International Differences in Work-Related Values.
Sorge, A. M., & Hofstede, G. (1983) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2393017 · Cited by 15,195
The case for motivated reasoning.
Kunda, Z. (1990) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/0033-2909.108.3.480 · Cited by 9,022

Show all 87 references

Sorted by citations

Items 501–600 of 1,001

Durability Bias in Affective Forecasting
Gilbert, D. T., Pinel, E. C., Wilson, T. D., Blumberg, S. J., & Wheatley, T. P. (2002) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808098.018 · Cited by 66
Decision Making and Decisional Tipping Points in Homicide Investigations: An Interview Study of British and Norwegian Detectives
Fahsing, I., & Ask, K. (2013) · Journal of Investigative Psychology and Offender Profiling · doi:10.1002/jip.1384 · Cited by 65
Different paths to consensus? The impact of need for closure on model-supported group conflict management
Franco, L. A., Rouwette, E. A. J. A., & Korzilius, H. P. L. M. (2015) · European Journal of Operational Research · doi:10.1016/j.ejor.2015.06.056 · Cited by 69
Tolerance by Surprise: Evidence for a Generalized Reduction in Prejudice and Increased Egalitarianism through Novel Category Combination
Vasiljevic, M., & Crisp, R. J. (2013) · PLoS ONE · doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0057106 · Cited by 65
“These results provide a first indication that priming a counterstereotypic mindset is conducive to generative thought and a move away from heuristic forms of thinking - a basis for greater cognitive flexibility [35].”
Background
Individual Differences in Attitude Change
Turnes, P., & Petty, R. (2005) · doi:10.4324/9781410612823.ch14 · Cited by 85
“Being high in need for closure has been shown to reduce the extent of information processing, to magnify primacy effects, to increase reliance on theory-driven versus data-driven processing, and also to enhance reliance on initial anchors and primes (see Kruglanski and Webster, 1996, for a review).”
Background
The Relationship Between Uncertainty and Desire for Feedback: A Test of Competing Hypotheses1
Anseel, F., & Lievens, F. (2007) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00197.x · Cited by 66
“Need for closure reflects the desire for clear, definite, or unambiguous knowledge that will guide perception and action, as opposed to the undesirable alternative of ambiguity and confusion (for a review, see Kruglanski & Webster, 1996 ).”
Background
Psychology and morality of political extremists: evidence from Twitter language analysis of alt-right and Antifa
Alizadeh, M., Weber, I. G., Cioffi‐Revilla, C. A., Fortunato, S., & Macy, M. W. (2019) · EPJ Data Science · doi:10.1140/epjds/s13688-019-0193-9 · Cited by 72
Intellectual Arrogance and Intellectual Humility: An Evolutionary-Epistemological Account
Gregg, A. P., & Mahadevan, N. (2014) · Journal of Psychology and Theology · doi:10.1177/009164711404200102 · Cited by 70
HOW IRRELEVANT INFLUENCES BIAS BELIEF*
Avnur, Y., & Scott‐Kakures, D. (2015) · Philosophical Perspectives · doi:10.1111/phpe.12060 · Cited by 63
Engineering Students' Epistemic Cognition in the Context of Problem Solving
Faber, C. J., & Benson, L. (2017) · Journal of Engineering Education · doi:10.1002/jee.20183 · Cited by 63
“The use of previously established constructs is justified by studies previously described in the theoretical framework section with similar populations (Yu and Strobel, 2012) and contexts (De Grada et al., 1999; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Webster & Kruglanski, 1994).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluential
Paradoxical leadership and hospitality employees’ service performance: The role of leader identification and need for cognitive closure
She, Z., Li, Q., Yang, B., & Yang, B. (2020) · International Journal of Hospitality Management · doi:10.1016/j.ijhm.2020.102524 · Cited by 63
Terrorism and conspiracy theories: A view from the 3N model of radicalization
Kruglanski, A. W., Molinario, E., Ellenberg, M. D., & Cicco, G. D. (2022) · Current Opinion in Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2022.101396 · Cited by 78
Self-citation
Getting and staying in-pace: the “in-synch” preference and its implications for work groups
Bloun, S., & Janicik, G. A. (2004) · Research on managing groups and teams · doi:10.1016/s1534-0856(02)04010-0 · Cited by 63
Predictors of Preference for Hospice Care Among Diverse Older Adults
Cagle, J. G., LaMantia, M. A., Williams, S. W., Pek, J. C. X., & Edwards, L. J. (2015) · American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® · doi:10.1177/1049909115593936 · Cited by 62
Multifinality in implicit choice.
Chun, W. Y., Kruglanski, A. W., Sleeth‐Keppler, D., & Friedman, R. (2011) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0023778 · Cited by 62
Self-citation
Cognition-Emotion Dysinteraction in Schizophrenia
Anticevic, A., & Corlett, P. R. (2012) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00392 · Cited by 66
“One emphasis of both motivational/self-protective processes and learning accounts is the need for closure (Kruglanski et al., 1993; Kruglanski and Webster, 1996) – a motivational construct, associated with a preference for certainty and predictability (McKay et al.”
Background
A framework for critical thinking, rational thinking, and intelligence.
Stanovich, K. E., & Stanovich, P. J. (2010) · Cited by 61
Seizing on the Latest: Motivationally Driven Recency Effects in Impression Formation
Richter, L., & Kruglanski, A. W. (1998) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1006/jesp.1998.1354 · Cited by 62
Self-citation
Entity versus incremental theories predict older adults’ memory performance.
Plaks, J. E., & Chasteen, A. L. (2013) · Psychology and Aging · doi:10.1037/a0034348 · Cited by 61
A need basis for values: Associations between the need for cognitive closure and value priorities
Calogero, R. M., Bardi, A., & Sutton, R. M. (2008) · Personality and Individual Differences · doi:10.1016/j.paid.2008.09.019 · Cited by 61
Are members of low status groups perceived as bad, or badly off? Egalitarian negative associations and automatic prejudice
Uhlmann, E. L., Brescoll, V. L., & Paluck, E. L. (2006) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2004.10.003 · Cited by 61
“…is restricted (for example, by high degrees of environmental noise or preoccupation with other thoughts; Gilbert, Tafarodi, & Malone, 1993; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), associating African Americans with negatively valenced concepts like oppression, victimization, and maltreatment may…”
Background
Basic hope as a world-view: an outline of a concept
Trzebiński, J., & Zięba, M. (2004) · CeON Repository (Centre for Evaluation in Education and Science) · Cited by 60
11. Consciousness, introspection, and the adaptive unconscious
Hofmann, W., & Wilson, T. D. (2010) · Dialnet (Universidad de la Rioja) · Cited by 60
Hierarchical factor structure of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale short form (IUS-12) in the Italian version
Lauriola, M., Mosca, O., & Carleton, R. N. (2016) · UNICA IRIS Institutional Research Information System (University of Cagliari) · doi:10.4473/tpm23.3.8 · Cited by 59
The Influence of Time and Task Demonstrability on Decision-Making in Computer-Mediated and Face-to-Face Groups
Campbell, J., & Stasser, G. L. (2006) · Small Group Research · doi:10.1177/1046496406288976 · Cited by 59
Need for Closure Relations with Authoritarianism, Conservative Beliefs and Racism: The impact of urgency and permanence tendencies
Roets, A., & Hiel, A. V. (2006) · Psychologica Belgica · doi:10.5334/pb-46-3-235 · Cited by 60
“…recently showed a renewed interest in the motivational aspects of cognitive functioning, eliciting a vast amount of research on constructs like, for instance, the need for closure (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), need for cognition (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982) and regulatory focus (Higgins, 1998).”
Background
Mood Effects on Attitudes, Perceived Risk and Choice: Moderators and Mediators
Fedorikhin, A., & Cole, C. A. (2004) · Journal of Consumer Psychology · doi:10.1207/s15327663jcp1401&2_2 · Cited by 58
Implicit Theories: Assumptions That Shape Social and Moral Cognition
Plaks, J. E. (2017) · Advances in experimental social psychology · doi:10.1016/bs.aesp.2017.02.003 · Cited by 67
Der digitale Wandel der Wissensordnung. Theorierahmen für die Analyse von Wahrheit, Wissen und Rationalität in der öffentlichen Kommunikation
Neuberger, C., Bartsch, A., Reinemann, C., Fröhlich, R., Hanitzsch, T., & Schindler, J. (2019) · Medien & Kommunikationswissenschaft · doi:10.5771/1615-634x-2019-2-167 · Cited by 69
How Crisis Management Strategies Address Stakeholders’ Sociocognitive Concerns and Organizations’ Social Evaluations
Iqbal, F., Pfarrer, M. D., & Bundy, J. N. (2022) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2020.0371 · Cited by 66
Mapping individual differences in the experience of a waiting period.
Sweeny, K. M., & Andrews, S. E. (2014) · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0036031 · Cited by 63
Adherence to perceived norms across cultural boundaries: The role of need for cognitive closure and ingroup identification
Chao, M. M., Zhang, Z.-X., & Chiu, C. (2009) · Group Processes & Intergroup Relations · doi:10.1177/1368430209343115 · Cited by 59
“…differences in this epistemic need: people tend to experience a stronger need for closure when they are under time pressure than when they are not (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Webster & Kruglanski, 1998), and some individuals have a stronger dispositional need for closure than others (Webster &…”
Background
Emotions in Serious Games: From Experience to Assessment
Anolli, L., Mantovani, F., Confalonieri, L., Ascolese, A., & Peveri, L. (2010) · International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET) · doi:10.3991/ijet.v5s3.1496 · Cited by 64
“Tied to this form of pleasure, the emotional demand to close an assignment and completely accomplish a task becomes relevant [21].”
Background
Understanding jumping to conclusions in patients with persecutory delusions: working memory and intolerance of uncertainty
Freeman, D. H., Startup, H. M., Dunn, G., Černis, E., Wingham, G., Pugh, K., Cordwell, J., Mander, H., & Kingdon, D. (2014) · Psychological Medicine · doi:10.1017/s0033291714000592 · Cited by 59
The Role of the Need for Cognitive Closure in the Effectiveness of the Disrupt-Then-Reframe Influence Technique: Table 1
Kardes, F. R., Fennis, B. M., Hirt, E. R., Tormala, Z. L., & Bullington, B. (2007) · Journal of Consumer Research · doi:10.1086/518541 · Cited by 59
Seeing the Other Side: Reducing Political Partisanship via Self‐Affirmation in the 2008 Presidential Election
Binning, K. R., Sherman, D. K., Cohen, G. L., & Heitland, K. (2010) · Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy · doi:10.1111/j.1530-2415.2010.01210.x · Cited by 58
“Specifically, participants responded to three items from the Closed-Mindedness subscale of the Need for Closure Scale (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996): “When considering most conflicts, I can usually see how both sides could be correct,” “I prefer interacting with people whose opinions are very…”
Influential
Resistance to Position Change, Motivated Reasoning, and Polarization
Stanley, M. L., Henne, P., Yang, B. W., & De Brigard, F. (2020) · Political Behavior · doi:10.1007/s11109-019-09526-z · Cited by 58
Intercultural contact under uncertainty: The impact of predictability and anxiety on the willingness to interact with a member from an unknown cultural group
Samochowiec, J., & Florack, A. (2010) · International Journal of Intercultural Relations · doi:10.1016/j.ijintrel.2010.05.003 · Cited by 58
“Other research distinguishes between individuals who differ in their tolerance for uncertainty (Buhr & Dugas, 2002) or ambiguity (Banning, 2003; Friedland, Keinan, & Tytiun, 1999; Furnham & Ribchester, 1995; Kruglanski et al., 2006; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
Background
The Role of Partisanship in Aggregate Opinion
Enns, P. K., & McAvoy, G. E. (2011) · Political Behavior · doi:10.1007/s11109-011-9176-7 · Cited by 57
“We begin the analysis with a visual summary of the data and comparison of partisan groups.”
Fairness heuristics and substitutability effects: Inferring the fairness of outcomes, procedures, and interpersonal treatment when employees lack clear information.
Qin, X., Ren, R., Zhang, Z.-X., & Johnson, R. E. (2014) · Journal of Applied Psychology · doi:10.1037/a0038084 · Cited by 60
“People with low need for cognitive closure, in contrast, tolerate ambiguity and prefer to suspend judgment, search for additional information, and conduct in-depth analysis on available information (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Mayseless & Kruglanski, 1987).”
Background
Motivational underpinnings of social influence in work settings: Bases of social power and the need for cognitive closure
Pierro, A., Kruglanski, A. W., & Raven, B. H. (2011) · European Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1002/ejsp.836 · Cited by 57
Self-citation
The Role of Cognitive Style in the Link Between Genes and Political Ideology
Ksiazkiewicz, A., Ludeke, S. G., & Krueger, R. (2016) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12318 · Cited by 57
The Need for Closure and the Spontaneous Use of Complex and Simple Cognitive Structures
Hiel, A. V., & Mervielde, I. (2003) · The Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/00224540309598463 · Cited by 57
Who Believes in Conspiracy Theories in Great Britain and Europe?
Drochon, H. H. (2018) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oso/9780190844073.003.0022 · Cited by 62
Reasoning of State
Rathbun, B. C. (2019) · Cited by 56
Belief and settledness
Lee, W. (2020) · Inquiry · doi:10.1080/0020174x.2020.1772865 · Cited by 56
“…and Dona Webster, who introduced the concept of cognitive closure, ‘the juncture at which a belief crystallizes and turns from hesitant conjecture to a subjectively firm “fact”’ (Kruglanski and Webster 1996, 266). that I want to make sure that it is, since it would be a disaster if I’mwrong’.”
Background
The Effect of Sociopsychological Barriers on the Processing of New Information about Peace Opportunities
Porat, R., Halperin, E., & Bar‐Tal, D. (2013) · Journal of Conflict Resolution · doi:10.1177/0022002713499719 · Cited by 56
“High need for closure refers to the desire to maintain firm and rigid knowledge on a given topic and hold on to a clear opinion, without searching for additional information that may cause ambiguity and uncertainty (Kruglanski 1989; Kruglanski and Webster 1996).”
Background
Paradoxical Thinking as a Conflict-Resolution Intervention: Comparison to Alternative Interventions and Examination of Psychological Mechanisms
Hameiri, B., Nabet, E., Bar‐Tal, D., & Halperin, E. (2017) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167217736048 · Cited by 56
Avoiding Trouble: Exploring Environmental Risk Information Avoidance Intentions.
Kahlor, L. A., Olson, H. C., Markman, A. B., & Wang, W. (2018) · Environment and Behavior · doi:10.1177/0013916518799149 · Cited by 59
“…for RIA; indeed, the research appears to be proceeding piecemeal with some research focused on traits such as the need for psychological closure (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Sweeny et al., 2010), motives such as the desire to maintain a consistent self-concept (Narayan et al., 2011), or…”
Background
Physiological responses associated with cultural attachment
Yap, W. J., Christopoulos, G. I., & Hong, Y. (2017) · Behavioural Brain Research · doi:10.1016/j.bbr.2017.01.017 · Cited by 59
The Interplay of Information Diagnosticity and Need for Cognitive Closure in Determining Choice Confidence
Andrews, D. (2013) · Psychology and Marketing · doi:10.1002/mar.20643 · Cited by 55
Biased Assimilation and Need for Closure: Examining the Effects of Mixed Blogs on Vaccine-Related Beliefs
Nan, X., & Daily, K. (2015) · Journal of Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10810730.2014.989343 · Cited by 55
“Because they shy away from binding beliefs, individuals low in need for closure may then be less likely to develop extreme views after exposure to mixed evidence or arguments than those high in need for closure (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
Influential
“Seizing and Freezing” on a Significant-Person Schema: Need for Closure and the Transference Effect in Social Judgment
Pierro, A., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2008) · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin · doi:10.1177/0146167208322865 · Cited by 55
“A motivational variable known to affect the degree to which individuals tend to “freeze” their judgments derived from accessible constructs is the need for cognitive closure (NfCC; Kruglanski, 2004; Kruglanski, Pierro, Mannetti, & De Grada, 2006; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
BackgroundSelf-citation
Effects of Age and Initial Risk Perception on Balloon Analog Risk Task: The Mediating Role of Processing Speed and Need for Cognitive Closure
Kościelniak, M., Rydzewska, K., & Sędek, G. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00659 · Cited by 55
“On the other hand, low-NFCC individuals are motivated to analyze situations in a systematic manner, consider alternative options, and make complex decisions (Kruglanski and Webster, 1996).”
Method
Probability Judgment across Cultures
Yates, J. F., Lee, J., Sieck, W. R., Choi, I., & Price, P. C. (2002) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808098.017 · Cited by 55
Behavioral Decision Research
Payne, J. W., Bettman, J. R., & Luce, M. F. (1998) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-012099975-0.50007-5 · Cited by 57
Reasons to believe: A systematic review and meta-analytic synthesis of the motives associated with conspiracy beliefsPreprint
Biddlestone, M., Green, R., Douglas, K. M., Azevedo, F., Sutton, R. M., & Cichocka, A. K. (2022) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/rxjqc · Cited by 55
Who exhibits more stereotypical thinking? The effect of need and ability to achieve cognitive structure on stereotyping
Bar‐Tal, Y., & Guinote, A. (2002) · European Journal of Personality · doi:10.1002/per.453 · Cited by 54
“…busyness, fatigue, noise, and time pressure are sometimes said to influence NCS (Keinan, Friedland, & Arad, 1991; Kruglanski & Freund, 1983; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996) and factors such as availability of the schema or cognitive structure (Gilbert & Hixon, 1991), level of expertise in the…”
Background
The effect of clinical experience, judgment task difficulty and time pressure on nurses’ confidence calibration in a high fidelity clinical simulation
Yang, H., Thompson, C. A., & Bland, M. (2012) · BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making · doi:10.1186/1472-6947-12-113 · Cited by 54
“Need for closure refers to a need for certainty, it arises from the impact of time pressure on participants’ motivation and confidence [46-48].”
Background
Leaders make mistakes: A multilevel consideration of why
Hunter, S. T., Tate, B. W., Dzieweczynski, J. L., & Bedell‐Avers, K. E. (2011) · The Leadership Quarterly · doi:10.1016/j.leaqua.2011.02.001 · Cited by 61
Liberalism and Conservatism, for a Change! Rethinking the Association Between Political Orientation and Relation to Societal Change
Proch, J., Elad‐Strenger, J., & Kessler, T. (2018) · Political Psychology · doi:10.1111/pops.12559 · Cited by 57
Uncertainty Management and Social Issues: Uncertainty as an Important Determinant of Reactions to Socially Deviating People1
van den Bos, K., Euwema, M., Poortvliet, P. M., & Maas, M. (2007) · Journal of Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1559-1816.2007.00235.x · Cited by 54
“…uncertainty avoidance (e.g., Hofstede, 2001), uncertainty orientation (e.g., Sorrentino, Holmes, Hanna, & Sharp, 1995), need for closure (e.g., Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), and need for cognition (e.g., Cacioppo, Petty, & Kao, 1984) would yield weaker effects on our participants’ reactions…”
The differential effects of labelling: how do ‘dyslexia’ and ‘reading difficulties’ affect teachers’ beliefs
Gibbs, S., & Elliott, J. (2015) · European Journal of Special Needs Education · doi:10.1080/08856257.2015.1022999 · Cited by 53
Does an Employee-Experienced Crisis Help or Hinder Creativity? An Integration of Threat-Rigidity and Implicit Theories
Jeong, I., Gong, Y., & Zhong, B.-J. (2022) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/01492063221082537 · Cited by 61
Comparing Attribute Importance and Reason Methods for Understanding Behavior: An Application to Internet Job Searching
Westaby, J. D. (2005) · Applied Psychology · doi:10.1111/j.1464-0597.2005.00231.x · Cited by 53
Comparing Attachment Theory and Buddhist Psychology
Sahdra, B. K., & Shaver, P. R. (2013) · International Journal for the Psychology of Religion · doi:10.1080/10508619.2013.795821 · Cited by 51
“It is an important component of what social psychologists call “cognitive seizing and freezing” (Kruglanski, 2004; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
Background
Meaning and existential givens in the lives of cancer patients: A philosophical perspective on psycho-oncology
Vos, J. (2014) · Palliative & Supportive Care · doi:10.1017/s1478951514000790 · Cited by 53
The role of epistemic motivation in individuals’ response to decision complexity
Amit, A., & Sagiv, L. (2013) · Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes · doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2013.01.003 · Cited by 56
Professional skepticism and auditor cognitive performance in a hypothesis-testing task
Peytcheva, M. (2013) · Managerial Auditing Journal · doi:10.1108/maj-04-2013-0852 · Cited by 53
Why Some Hate to Dilly-Dally and Others Do Not: The Arousal-Invoking Capacity of Decision-Making for Low- and High-Scoring Need for Closure Individuals
Roets, A., & Hiel, A. V. (2008) · Social Cognition · doi:10.1521/soco.2008.26.3.333 · Cited by 56
Jumping to delusions? Paranoia, probabilistic reasoning, and need for closure
McKay, R., Langdon, R. A., & Coltheart, M. (2007) · Cognitive Neuropsychiatry · doi:10.1080/13546800701203769 · Cited by 53
“The Need for Closure Scale (NFC Scale; Kruglanski, Webster, & Klem, 1993 ) measures an individual's motivated proclivity to obtain firm answers and to avoid ambiguity (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996 ).”
Background
The mask of zeal: Low implicit self-esteem, threat, and defensive extremism
McGregor, I., & Jordan, C. H. (2007) · Self and Identity · doi:10.1080/15298860601115351 · Cited by 53
“…attracted to self-serving and simplistic social judgments (Kang et al., 2006; Neuberg & Newsom, 1991), especially when in challenging situations (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), and individuals with high explicit self-esteem scores are not shy about zealously wielding defenses that involve public…”
Background
The Emotive Roots of Creativity
Dreu, C. K. W. D., Baas, M., & Nijstad, B. A. (2011) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-374714-3.00010-0 · Cited by 54
How preferences for eager versus vigilant judgment strategies affect self-serving conclusions
Molden, D. C., & Higgins, E. T. (2008) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2008.03.009 · Cited by 53
“Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Molden & Dweck, 2006).”
Team Innovation Processes
Goh, K. T., Goodman, P. S., & Weingart, L. R. (2013) · Small Group Research · doi:10.1177/1046496413483326 · Cited by 52
“Shorter durations will increase team members’ need for cognitive closure (Kruglanski & Freund, 1983; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996), which increases their preference for unambiguous outcomes even if these are not optimal.”
Motivation, Cognition, and Reality: Three Memos for the Next Generation of Research
Kruglanski, A. W. (1999) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1207/s15327965pli1001_8 · Cited by 52
Self-citation
Heuristics and Biases in Application
Fischhoff, B. (2002) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808098.043 · Cited by 51
Fear appeals and treatment side-effects: An effective combination for HIV prevention?
Slavin, S., Batrouney, C., & Murphy, D. (2006) · AIDS Care · doi:10.1080/09540120600866473 · Cited by 52
“E-mail: S.Slavin@latrobe.edu.au ISSN 0954-0121 print/ISSN 1360-0451 online # 2007 Taylor & Francis DOI: 10.1080/09540120600866473 those most vulnerable to it (Ditto & Lopez, 1992; Jemmot et al., 1986; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Kunda, 1990; Levanthal & Watts, 1966; Liberman & Chaiken, 1992).”
Influential
Putting Adjustment Back in the Anchoring and Adjustment Heuristic
Epley, N., & Gilovich, T. D. (2002) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808098.009 · Cited by 52
Clinical versus Actuarial Judgment
Dawes, R. M., Faust, D., & Meehl, P. E. (2002) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511808098.042 · Cited by 53
The Impact of Self‐Affirmation on Health‐Related Cognition and Health Behaviour: Issues and Prospects
Harris, P. R., & Epton, T. (2010) · Social and Personality Psychology Compass · doi:10.1111/j.1751-9004.2010.00270.x · Cited by 51
Motivation to comply with task rules and multitasking performance: The role of need for cognitive closure and goal importance
Szumowska, E., Kossowska, M., & Roets, A. (2018) · Motivation and Emotion · doi:10.1007/s11031-018-9678-2 · Cited by 53
“NFC is a basic motivational tendency to avoid and reduce uncertainty, and has been typically related to rigidity in information processing (Kruglanski 1990; Kruglanski and Webster 1996; see also; Roets et al.”
BackgroundResultInfluential
The Challenges of Military Veterans in Their Transition to the Workplace: A Call for Integrating Basic and Applied Psychological Science
Shepherd, S., Sherman, D. K., MacLean, A., & Kay, A. C. (2020) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691620953096 · Cited by 69
“…a sense of personal control is critical to satisfying the higher order goal of perceiving a nonrandom and orderly social world in which outcomes happen according to a predictable system of cause and effect (Kruglanski, 1989; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Landau et al., 2004; Lerner, 1980).”
Background
Information literacy in the digital age: information sources, evaluation strategies, and perceived teaching competences of pre-service teachers
Trixa, J., & Kaspar, K. (2024) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1336436 · Cited by 49
“NFCC refers to an individual’s desire to simplify complex information and avoid ambiguity (Kruglanski, 1990; Webster and Kruglanski, 1994; Kruglanski and Webster, 1996).”
Background
Cognition in strategic decision making
McKenzie, J., Woolf, N., Winkelen, C. V., & Morgan, C. (2009) · Management Decision · doi:10.1108/00251740910938885 · Cited by 51
Biological and cognitive underpinnings of religious fundamentalism
Zhong, W., Cristofori, I., Bulbulia, J. A., Krüeger, F., & Grafman, J. H. (2017) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2017.04.009 · Cited by 57
“A need for cognitive closure represents the desire for predictability and rigidity instead of openness, and is correlated with conservative, conforming values (Calogero, Bardi, & Sutton, 2009; Kruglanski & Webster, 1996).”
Background
Emotion in Conflict and Negotiation: Introducing the Emotions as Social Information (EASI) Model
Kleef, G. A. V. (2008) · Edward Elgar Publishing eBooks · doi:10.4337/9781848443778.00034 · Cited by 53
The Physics and Chemistry of Personality
McCrae, R. (2009) · Theory & Psychology · doi:10.1177/0959354309341928 · Cited by 51
“It will prove to be very much a collective endeavor, in which researchers learn slowly about relatively isolated phenomena, and in which syntheses (e.g., Kruglanski & Webster, 1996; Mackie & Smith, 1998) will take place in small steps rather than large.”
Background
Self‐Uncertainty, Social Identity, and the Solace of Extremism
Hogg, M. A. (2011) · Wiley eBooks · doi:10.1002/9781444344073.ch2 · Cited by 52
The Impact of Principles-Based versus Rules-Based Accounting Standards on Auditors' Motivations and Evidence Demands
Peytcheva, M., Wright, A. M., & Majoor, B. (2014) · Behavioral Research in Accounting · doi:10.2308/bria-50707 · Cited by 50
The Risk of Being Shot At: Stress, Cortisol Secretion, and Their Impact on Memory and Perceived Learning During Reality- Based Practice for Armed Officers
Taverniers, J., Smeets, T., Ruysseveldt, J. V., Syroit, J., & von Grumbkow, J. (2011) · International Journal of Stress Management · doi:10.1037/a0023742 · Cited by 49
Cultural knowledge, category label, and social connections: Components of cultural identity in the global, multicultural context
Wan, C., & Chew, P. Y. (2013) · Asian Journal Of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/ajsp.12029 · Cited by 54
Dynamic Interracial/Intercultural Processes: The Role of Lay Theories of Race
Hong, Y., Chao, M. M., & No, S. (2009) · Journal of Personality · doi:10.1111/j.1467-6494.2009.00582.x · Cited by 54
GOALIATH: a theory of goal-directed behavior
Hommel, B. (2021) · Psychological Research · doi:10.1007/s00426-021-01563-w · Cited by 58
When increased confidence yields increased thought: A confidence-matching hypothesis
Tormala, Z. L., Rucker, D. D., & Seger, C. R. (2006) · Journal of Experimental Social Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.jesp.2006.11.002 · Cited by 50
“For example, might individual differences in the need for closure (Kruglanski & Webster, 1996) moderate the present effects?”
Background
Need for Closure and the Social Response to Terrorism
Orehek, E., Fishman, S., Dechesne, M., Doosje, B., Kruglanski, A. W., Cole, A. P., Saddler, B. L., & Jackson, T. (2010) · Basic and Applied Social Psychology · doi:10.1080/01973533.2010.519196 · Cited by 49
“In this article, we focus our investigation on the uncertainty component of insecurity, with the prediction that the threat of terrorism leads to elevated levels of the need for cognitive closure, defined as the aversion toward uncertainty and ambiguity, with a preference for firmness and stability in beliefs and expe…”
BackgroundSelf-citation
The closing of open minds: Need for closure moderates the impact of uncertainty salience on outgroup discrimination
Brizi, A., Mannetti, L., & Kruglanski, A. W. (2015) · British Journal of Social Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjso.12131 · Cited by 49
Self-citation
Trust in International Cooperation: International Security Institutions, Domestic Politics and American Multilateralism
Rathbun, B. C. (2012) · Cited by 49
Fostering creativity across countries: The moderating effect of cultural bundles on creativity
Yong, K., Mannucci, P. V., & Lander, M. W. (2020) · Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes · doi:10.1016/j.obhdp.2019.12.004 · Cited by 49
Consideration Set Overvaluation: When Impossibly Favorable Ratings of a Set of Brands Are Observed
Kardes, F. R., Sanbonmatsu, D. M., Cronley, M. L., & Houghton, D. C. (2002) · Journal of Consumer Psychology · doi:10.1016/s1057-7408(16)30086-9 · Cited by 49

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

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review

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

Abstract

Overview

Integrity signals

Verification

Claims the paper makes

Claims other papers make about this one

Citations

Cites

Cited by

Related

Metadata

Record

About these checks