Cognitive need

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The need for cognition ( need for cognition ) is a personality trait of psychology . It describes the extent to which people engage in and enjoy strenuous cognitive activities. The term was introduced by Cohen, Stotland and Wolfe in the 1950s and defined by John T. Cacioppo & Richard E. Petty in 1982 as the personality trait is still understood today.

People with a high need for cognition form their own opinions by weighing up arguments. People with a low need for cognition, on the other hand, can often be influenced by peripheral signals such as the attractiveness or credibility of the speaker. According to the Elaboration Likelihood Model, the extent of the need for cognition determines one of two ways in which persuasive communication is to be used (central or peripheral way).

So far, no gender-specific differences in cognitive needs have been shown.

A non-representative study among 60 students came to the conclusion that study participants with a higher cognitive need were on average less physically active than other participants in the study. This may indicate a lesser need for exercise.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Elliot Aronson, Timothy Wilson, Robin M. Akert: Social Psychology , Pearson Studies; Edition: 6th edition. (December 12, 2008), ISBN 382737359X , page 204
  2. ^ Arthur R. Cohen, Ezra Stotland, Donald M. Wolfe: An experimental investigation of need for cognition. In: The Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology . tape 51 , no. 2 , 1955, ISSN  0096-851X , p. 291–294 , doi : 10.1037 / h0042761 (DOI = 10.1037 / h0042761 [accessed August 10, 2019]).
  3. ^ John T. Cacioppo, Richard E. Petty, Jeffrey A. Feinstein, W. Blair G. Jarvis: Dispositional differences in cognitive motivation: The life and times of individuals varying in need for cognition. In: Psychological Bulletin . tape 119 , no. 2 , 1996, ISSN  0033-2909 , pp. 197-253 , doi : 10.1037 / 0033-2909.119.2.197 (DOI = 10.1037 / 0033-2909.119.2.197 [accessed on August 10, 2019]).
  4. ↑ Anna Kröning: Anyone who is really smart has no desire to move. Welt N24, August 27, 2016, accessed November 1, 2016 .
  5. ↑ Todd McElroy, David L Dickinson, Nathan Stroh, Christopher A Dickinson: The physical sacrifice of thinking: Investigating the relationship between thinking and physical activity in everyday life . In: Journal of Health Psychology . tape 21 , no. 8 , August 2016, ISSN  1359-1053 , p. 1750–1757 , doi : 10.1177 / 1359105314565827 ( sagepub.com [accessed March 28, 2019]).