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Need for Cognition Scale
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About Need for Cognition Scale
Scale Name
Need for Cognition Scale
Author Details
Cacioppo, J. T., and Petty, R. E.
Translation Availability
English, Spanish, Chinese, French, and German
Background/Description
Cacioppo and Petty created the Need for Cognition Scale in 1982. The original scale included 34 questions. Two years later, Cacioppo and Petty collaborated with Chuan Feng Kao to shorten the scale to the 18-item format. The 18-item Need for Cognition Scale has been used in several settings.
Investigators have used the scale to examine (a) the relationship between students’ need for cognition and their academic performance (Sadowski & Gulgoz, 1992a, 1996; Tolentino, Curry, & Leak, 1990), (b) how one’s need for cognition and religious views impact satisfaction with one’s life (Gauthier, Christopher, Walter, Mourad, & Marek, 2006), (c) how jurors’ need for cognition influences their legal decisions (Bornstein, 2004), and (d) how college students’ need for cognition influences their self-reported satisfaction with their lives as a whole (Coutinho & Woolery, 2004).
The Need for Cognition Scale (NCS), developed by John Cacioppo and Richard Petty in 1982, is a psychological assessment tool designed to measure an individual’s inclination toward engaging in and enjoying cognitive activities. This concept, known as “need for cognition,” refers to the tendency to seek, think about, and relish complex and effortful mental tasks. Individuals who score high on the NCS often enjoy tasks that require problem-solving, abstract thinking, and decision-making, while those with lower scores may prefer straightforward tasks that do not require significant cognitive engagement.
Originally developed to understand individual differences in processing persuasive information, the scale is now widely used in research across fields like education, psychology, and marketing to better understand how individuals approach and process information.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the Copy: The NCS is available in academic journals and through psychological testing sources.
- Purpose: To measure an individual’s propensity for cognitive engagement and enjoyment of mentally stimulating activities.
- Instructions: Participants respond to a series of statements using a Likert-type scale, indicating their level of agreement with statements about cognitive enjoyment and effort.
- Time: Approximately 5-10 minutes to complete.
- Administer the Scale: The scale can be administered as a self-report questionnaire, either on paper or digitally.
Reliability and Validity
Based on previous research, the Need for Cognition Scale appears to be a valid and reliable measure of individuals’ tendencies to pursue and enjoy the process of thinking—that is, of their “need for cognition” (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982; Cacioppo, Petty, Feinstein, & Jarvis, 1996; Cacioppo et al., 1984; Sadowski, 1993; Sadowski & Gulgoz, 1992b).
Need for Cognition scores are not influenced by whether an individual is male or female, or by differences in the individual’s level of test-taking anxiety or cognitive style (the particular way that an individual accumulates and merges information during the thinking process). In general, scores on the Need for Cognition Scale also are not impacted by whether or not the individuals are trying to paint a favorable picture of themselves (Cacioppo & Petty, 1982).
Available Versions
Maltiple-Items
Reference
Cacioppo, J. T., & Petty, R. E. (1982). The need for cognition. Journal of personality and social psychology, 42(1), 116.
Cacioppo, J. T., Petty, R. E., & Feng Kao, C. (1984). The efficient assessment of need for cognition. Journal of personality assessment, 48(3), 306-307.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Need for Cognition Scale measure?
The scale measures an individual’s enjoyment and motivation for engaging in complex, cognitively challenging tasks.
Who is the NCS suitable for?
The scale is commonly used in research and educational settings to assess cognitive engagement in adolescents and adults.
Is the NCS reliable?
Yes, the scale has shown high reliability and consistency across different studies and cultural contexts.
How long does it take to complete the NCS?
It typically takes 5-10 minutes to complete.
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