A total of 149 college students, 48 men and 101 women, completed the Irrational Beliefs and the Need for Cognition scales to assess irrationality and the tendency to engage in effortful cognitive activity. Although substantial overlap between the constructs was found (r = –.29, p < .001), the relationship was not linear. Need for Cognition appears to be a process variable, while irrational belief appears to be a content variable. Results suggest that the Need for Cognition must achieve a minimum threshold before spontaneous critical self-examination can occur.
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