Abstract
The Need for Closure Scale (NFCS; D. M. Webster & A. W. Kruglanski, 1994) was introduced to assess the extent to which a person, faced with a decision or judgment, desires any answer, as compared with confusion and ambiguity. The NFCS was presented as being unidimensional and as having adequate discriminant validity. Our data contradict these conceptual and psychometric claims. As a unidimensional scale, the NFCS is redundant with the Personal Need for Structure Scale (PNS; M. M. Thompson, M. E. Naccarato, & K. E. Parker, 1989). When the NFCS is used more appropriately as a multidimensional instrument, 3 of its facets are redundant with the PNS Scale, and a 4th is redundant with the Personal Fear of Invalidity Scale (M. M. Thompson et al., 1989). It is suggested that the NFCS masks important distinctions between 2 independent epistemic motives: the preference for quick, decisive answers (nonspecific closure) and the need to create and maintain simple structures (one form of specific closure).
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1396-1412 |
| Number of pages | 17 |
| Journal | Journal of Personality and Social Psychology |
| Volume | 72 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| State | Published - Jun 1997 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Sociology and Political Science
Cite this
What the need for closure scale measures and what it does not : Toward differentiating among related epistemic motives. / Neuberg, Steven; Judice, T. Nicole; West, Stephen.
In: Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol. 72, No. 6, 06.1997, p. 1396-1412.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - What the need for closure scale measures and what it does not
T2 - Toward differentiating among related epistemic motives
AU - Neuberg, Steven
AU - Judice, T. Nicole
AU - West, Stephen
PY - 1997/6
Y1 - 1997/6
N2 - The Need for Closure Scale (NFCS; D. M. Webster & A. W. Kruglanski, 1994) was introduced to assess the extent to which a person, faced with a decision or judgment, desires any answer, as compared with confusion and ambiguity. The NFCS was presented as being unidimensional and as having adequate discriminant validity. Our data contradict these conceptual and psychometric claims. As a unidimensional scale, the NFCS is redundant with the Personal Need for Structure Scale (PNS; M. M. Thompson, M. E. Naccarato, & K. E. Parker, 1989). When the NFCS is used more appropriately as a multidimensional instrument, 3 of its facets are redundant with the PNS Scale, and a 4th is redundant with the Personal Fear of Invalidity Scale (M. M. Thompson et al., 1989). It is suggested that the NFCS masks important distinctions between 2 independent epistemic motives: the preference for quick, decisive answers (nonspecific closure) and the need to create and maintain simple structures (one form of specific closure).
AB - The Need for Closure Scale (NFCS; D. M. Webster & A. W. Kruglanski, 1994) was introduced to assess the extent to which a person, faced with a decision or judgment, desires any answer, as compared with confusion and ambiguity. The NFCS was presented as being unidimensional and as having adequate discriminant validity. Our data contradict these conceptual and psychometric claims. As a unidimensional scale, the NFCS is redundant with the Personal Need for Structure Scale (PNS; M. M. Thompson, M. E. Naccarato, & K. E. Parker, 1989). When the NFCS is used more appropriately as a multidimensional instrument, 3 of its facets are redundant with the PNS Scale, and a 4th is redundant with the Personal Fear of Invalidity Scale (M. M. Thompson et al., 1989). It is suggested that the NFCS masks important distinctions between 2 independent epistemic motives: the preference for quick, decisive answers (nonspecific closure) and the need to create and maintain simple structures (one form of specific closure).
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0031530598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0031530598&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0031530598
VL - 72
SP - 1396
EP - 1412
JO - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
JF - Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
SN - 0022-3514
IS - 6
ER -