Department of Psychology, Chemnitz University of Technology, Chemnitz, Germany.
Cognitive Science and Assessment, University of Luxembourg, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg.
PLoS One. 2019 Aug 1;14(8):e0220282. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0220282. eCollection 2019.
Need for Cognition describes relatively stable interindividual differences in cognitive motivation. Previous research has shown relations of Need for Cognition to Self-Control-a capacity that can be broadly defined as resistance to temptation-yet, the processes underlying this relation remain unclear. One explanation for the prediction of Self-Control by Need for Cognition can be an increased motivation to invest cognitive effort with higher levels of Need for Cognition. Another possible link could be that individual differences in the implementation of Self-Control intentions may play a moderating or mediating role for the predictive value of Need for Cognition. Such individual differences in the self-motivated initiation and maintenance of intentions are described by dispositional Action Orientation. Therefore, in the present study, Action Orientation was examined with regard to its possible role in explaining the relation of Need for Cognition to Self-Control. In a sample of 1209 young adults, Self-Control was assessed with two different self-report instruments and moderation and mediation models of the relationship between Need for Cognition, Action Orientation, and Self-Control were tested. While there was no evidence for a moderating role of Action Orientation in explaining the relation of Need for Cognition and Self-Control, Action Orientation was found to partly mediate this relation with a remaining direct effect of Need for Cognition on Self-Control. These results add to the conceptual understanding of Need for Cognition and demonstrate the relevance of trait variables to predict Self-Control.
认知需求描述了相对稳定的个体间认知动机差异。先前的研究表明，认知需求与自我控制之间存在关系——自我控制可以被广义地定义为抵制诱惑的能力——然而，这种关系的背后的过程仍不清楚。认知需求预测自我控制的一个解释可能是，认知需求水平较高的个体，会有更强的动机去投入认知努力。另一种可能的联系是，自我控制意图实施过程中的个体差异可能在认知需求的预测价值中起到调节或中介作用。这种在自我激励的意图发起和维持方面的个体差异，由性格特质行动倾向来描述。因此，在本研究中，我们研究了行动倾向在解释认知需求与自我控制关系中的可能作用。在一个由 1209 名年轻人组成的样本中，我们使用两种不同的自我报告工具评估了自我控制，检验了认知需求、行动倾向和自我控制之间关系的调节和中介模型。虽然没有证据表明行动倾向在解释认知需求和自我控制之间的关系中起到调节作用，但行动倾向部分中介了这种关系，认知需求对自我控制仍有直接影响。这些结果增加了对认知需求的概念理解，并证明了特质变量对预测自我控制的重要性。
