Investigating the Gender Effects on The Five Facets of The Need for Closure

Abstract

The Need for Closure (NFC) is the individual’s desire to seek definite answer and avoid confusion. NFC plays a crucial role in the information processing and decision making. Studies have confirmed that both men and women adopt different ways to process their information. So, this study used a self report measure (Need for Closure Scale, Kruglanski et al., 2013) with adequate reliability (0.761) to tap the gender differences on the five facets: Order, Predictability, Decisiveness, Ambiguity and Close Mindedness of the dispositional need for closure (Webster & Kruglanski, 1994). Data analysis (Independent t-test) of the two groups (Male = 118, Female = 117) revealed that there is significant difference between both men and women on the facets of Order, Predictability, and Ambiguity. Cohen’s d statistics (0.3) further demonstrated that gender has moderate effect on these facets. Higher mean responses of women on Order, Predictability and Ambiguity showed that women compare to men have higher dispositional tendency of structure, preference for secure knowledge and discomfort with uncertainties.