Abstract:

In this research 30 graduate students were asked to complete the Need for Cognition Scale. The individual scores were compared with: (1) school performance and the desire to engage in cognitive activities measured by: grade point average, the last three books read and interest in recent social events; (2) number of members in family of origin—especially the number of siblings—parental educational attainment, perceived cognitive abilities of siblings, rural-urban differences and parental encouragement of education; (3) gender, age and sibling position. A qualitative analysis of students’ subjective perspectives on need for cognition scores was also included. The results of this research show that participants with a higher need for cognition were more likely to have a higher level of school performance and a greater desire to engage in effortful cognitive activities. Participants that had a higher sibling position, parents with a higher level of educational attainment and that came from an urban background scored higher on need for cognition scale. Participants with a lower need for cognition had a larger number of siblings and perceived the cognitive abilities of siblings as higher. Parental encouragement of education, gender and age of participants were unrelated to the need for cognition scores.

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