Understanding the link between need for cognition and complex problem solving

With the aim of broadening the understanding of the nomological network of Complex Problem Solving (CPS), we investigated the link between CPS and Need for Cognition (NFC) while controlling for reasoning ability. Further, we explored whether the relation between NFC and CPS was mediated by test-taking behavior (i.e., exploration time). Using structural equation modeling, we analyzed data from 474 German seventh graders. We found (a) that NFC and CPS were positively related, (b) that this link was partially mediated by CPS exploration time, and (c) that the link between NFC and CPS that was partially mediated by exploration time remained substantial even after we controlled for reasoning. Altogether, these results provide new insights into how CPS and NFC are linked.