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Need for cognition and irrational beliefs
1Department of Psychology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23284-2018, USA.
Psychological Reports
|November 14, 1997
Summary
College students
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Irrational beliefs can influence decision-making and cognitive processes.
- Need for Cognition (NFC) describes an individual's tendency towards effortful cognitive activities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between irrational beliefs and the Need for Cognition in college students.
- To differentiate the nature of irrational beliefs as content variables versus NFC as a process variable.
Main Methods:
- 149 college students (48 men, 101 women) completed the Irrational Beliefs Scale and the Need for Cognition Scale.
- Correlational analysis was used to examine the association between the two constructs.
Main Results:
- A significant negative correlation (r = -.29, p < .001) was found between irrational beliefs and Need for Cognition.
- The relationship between these constructs was not linear, suggesting distinct underlying mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Need for Cognition functions as a process variable, influencing how individuals engage with information.
- Irrational beliefs act as content variables, representing specific thought patterns.
- A minimum threshold of Need for Cognition may be necessary for spontaneous critical self-examination to occur, potentially mitigating irrationality.