Measuring the need for cognition: Structural analysis and measurement of invariance of the short version of the Need for Cognition Scale in Italian adolescents

This study aims to adapt and validate the Need for Cognition Scale – Short Version (NFCS; Cacioppo & Petty, 1982) in Italian adolescents. This instrument measures individual differences in the motivation and enjoyment in being involved in effortful cognitive activities. The Italian version of the scale, translated and adapted from the original version, is composed of 18 items and was administered to secondary school students. The confirmatory factorial analysis proved that the scale had two correlated factors measuring two different dimensions of motivations, namely approach and avoidance of effortful cognitive activities. The scale is also invariant for gender and for the administration measurement (on-line and paper-pencil). Results also indicated that the NFCS had good reliability indices and satisfactory convergent and discriminant validity. Thanks to its good psychometric properties, the Need for Cognition Scale has been proven to be a useful tool in both educational and research areas.