scholarly journals Individual differences in adolescents’ willingness to invest cognitive effort: Relation to need for cognition, motivation and cognitive capacity

2021 ◽  
Vol 57 ◽  
pp. 100978
Author(s):  
Anne-Wil Kramer ◽  
Anna C.K. Van Duijvenvoorde ◽  
Lydia Krabbendam ◽  
Hilde M. Huizenga
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Cognitive Capacity

scholarly journals Measuring cognitive effort without difficulty

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hugo Fleming ◽  
Oliver Joe Robinson ◽  
Jonathan Paul Roiser
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Computational Modelling ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Cognitive Capacity ◽  
Effort Discounting ◽  
Switching Task ◽  
Cognition Scale

An important finding in the cognitive effort literature has been that sensitivity to the costs of effort varies between individuals, suggesting that some people find effort more aversive than others. It has been suggested this may explain individual differences in other aspects of cognition; in particular that greater effort sensitivity may underlie some of the symptoms of conditions such as depression and schizophrenia. In this paper we highlight a major problem with existing measures of cognitive effort that hampers this line of research, specifically the confounding of effort and difficulty. This means that behaviour thought to reveal effort costs could equally be explained by cognitive capacity, which influences the frequency of success and thereby the chance of obtaining reward. To address this shortcoming we introduce a new test, the Number Switching Task (NST), specially designed such that difficulty will be unaffected by the effort manipulation and can easily be standardised across participants. In a large, online sample we show that these criteria are met successfully and reproduce classic effort discounting results with the NST. We also demonstrate the use of computational modelling with this task, producing behavioural parameters which can then be associated with other measures, and report a preliminary association with the Need for Cognition scale.

scholarly journals Need for cognition does not account for individual differences in metacontrol of decision making

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Florian Bolenz ◽  
Maxine F. Profitt ◽  
Fabian Stechbarth ◽  
Ben Eppinger ◽  
Alexander Strobel
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Individual Differences ◽  
Executive Functions ◽  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Personality Trait ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Cognitive Effort

Humans show metacontrol of decision-making towards different reward magnitudes. Specifically, when higher rewards are at stake, individuals increase reliance on a more accurate but cognitively effortful strategy. We investigated whether the personality trait Need for Cognition (NFC) explains individual differences in metacontrol. Based on findings of cognitive effort expenditure in executive functions, we expected more metacontrol in individuals low in NFC. In two independent studies, metacontrol was assessed by means of a decision-making task that dissociates different reinforcement-learning strategies. In contrast to our expectations, NFC did not account for individual differences in metacontrol of decision making. These findings suggest a differential role of NFC for the regulation of cognitive effort in decision making and executive functions.

Investment Traits and Intelligence in Adulthood

2013 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 82-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie von Stumm
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Personality Traits ◽  
Fluid Intelligence ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Openness To Experience ◽  
Intelligence Tests ◽  
Crystallized Intelligence ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Over Time

Intelligence-as-knowledge in adulthood is influenced by individual differences in intelligence-as-process (i.e., fluid intelligence) and in personality traits that determine when, where, and how people invest their intelligence over time. Here, the relationship between two investment traits (i.e., Openness to Experience and Need for Cognition), intelligence-as-process and intelligence-as-knowledge, as assessed by a battery of crystallized intelligence tests and a new knowledge measure, was examined. The results showed that (1) both investment traits were positively associated with intelligence-as-knowledge; (2) this effect was stronger for Openness to Experience than for Need for Cognition; and (3) associations between investment and intelligence-as-knowledge reduced when adjusting for intelligence-as-process but remained mostly significant.

scholarly journals Dispositional individual differences in cognitive effort investment: establishing the core construct

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Corinna Kührt ◽  
Sebastian Pannasch ◽  
Stefan J. Kiebel ◽  
Alexander Strobel
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Effortful Control ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Cognitive Effort ◽  
Self Control ◽  
Behavioral Measures ◽  
Effort Discounting ◽  
Cognitive Motivation ◽  
Goal Directed Behavior

Abstract Background Individuals tend to avoid effortful tasks, regardless of whether they are physical or mental in nature. Recent experimental evidence is suggestive of individual differences in the dispositional willingness to invest cognitive effort in goal-directed behavior. The traits need for cognition (NFC) and self-control are related to behavioral measures of cognitive effort discounting and demand avoidance, respectively. Given that these traits are only moderately related, the question arises whether they reflect a common core factor underlying cognitive effort investment. If so, the common core of both traits might be related to behavioral measures of effort discounting in a more systematic fashion. To address this question, we aimed at specifying a core construct of cognitive effort investment that reflects dispositional differences in the willingness and tendency to exert effortful control. Methods We conducted two studies (N = 613 and N = 244) with questionnaires related to cognitive motivation and effort investment including assessment of NFC, intellect, self-control and effortful control. We first calculated Pearson correlations followed by two mediation models regarding intellect and its separate aspects, seek and conquer, as mediators. Next, we performed a confirmatory factor analysis of a hierarchical model of cognitive effort investment as second-order latent variable. First-order latent variables were cognitive motivation reflecting NFC and intellect, and effortful self-control reflecting self-control and effortful control. Finally, we calculated Pearson correlations between factor scores of the latent variables and general self-efficacy as well as traits of the Five Factor Model of Personality for validation purposes. Results Our findings support the hypothesized correlations between the assessed traits, where the relationship of NFC and self-control is specifically mediated via goal-directedness. We established and replicated a hierarchical factor model of cognitive motivation and effortful self-control that explains the shared variance of the first-order factors by a second-order factor of cognitive effort investment. Conclusions Taken together, our results integrate disparate literatures on cognitive motivation and self-control and provide a basis for further experimental research on the role of dispositional individual differences in goal-directed behavior and cost–benefit-models.

scholarly journals Affective and Cognitive Orientations in Intergroup Perception

2017 ◽  
Vol 43 (6) ◽  
pp. 828-844 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukas J. Wolf ◽  
Ulrich von Hecker ◽  
Gregory R. Maio
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intergroup Perception ◽  
Need For Affect ◽  
Cognitive Orientations

Three studies examined the role of need for affect (NFA) and need for cognition (NFC) in intergroup perception. We hypothesized that NFA predicts a preference for stereotypically warm groups over stereotypically cold groups, whereas NFC predicts a preference for stereotypically competent groups over stereotypically incompetent groups. Study 1 supported these hypotheses for attitudes toward stereotypically ambivalent groups, which are stereotyped as high on one of the trait dimensions (e.g., high warmth) and low on the other (e.g., low competence), but not for stereotypically univalent groups, which are seen as high or low on both dimensions. Studies 2 and 3 replicated this pattern for stereotypically ambivalent groups, and yielded provocative evidence regarding several putative mechanisms underlying these associations. Together, these findings help integrate and extend past evidence on attitude-relevant individual differences with research on intergroup perception.

Changing attitudes and intentions related to doping: An analysis of individual differences in need for cognition

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (24) ◽  
pp. 2835-2843 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Horcajo ◽  
David Santos ◽  
Joshua J. Guyer ◽  
Lorena Moreno
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Changing Attitudes

Ready and willing to learn: exploring personal antecedents to taking on learning challenges

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 289-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michele Rigolizzo
Keyword(s):  
Individual Differences ◽  
Goal Orientation ◽  
Need For Cognition ◽  
Behavioral Measure ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Working Adults ◽  
Learning Goal ◽  
Learning Goal Orientation ◽  
Challenging Tasks

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the personal antecedents to taking on the challenge of learning, particularly when there is competition for time at work. Taking on challenging tasks, particularly those that enhance learning, is a critical behavior in today’s dynamic business environments. This paper explores how individual differences motivate people to choose a challenging task over an easy one. Design/methodology/approach A behavioral measure was used to determine if working adults higher in learning goal orientation, curiosity, and need for cognition were more likely to take on a challenging task, even when there was competition for their time. Structural equation modeling was used to more deeply examine whether these constructs independently contribute to the outcome. Findings Goal orientation, curiosity and need for cognition each significantly predicted whether working adults took on a challenging task. Additional analysis revealed that learning goal orientation, curiosity, and need for cognition loaded onto a single factor. Research limitations/implications This paper answers calls for the use of direct measurement in social science research. Rather than asking individuals about what they have done or would do, the study observes what choices working adults actually make when confronted with the opportunity to learn. Originality/value Contributing to the recent surge of work on informal learning behaviors, this paper examines a critical learning behavior – that of taking on challenging tasks. It demonstrates that even if individuals are ready learn (have the time and resources), there are key individual differences that drive whether they are willing to do so.

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