Assessing the Need for Uniqueness: Validation of the German NfU-G scale

•We validated a German scale to assess the Need for Uniqueness (NfU-G).•We found convergent validity to the Big Five personality traits.•NfU-G scores were positively correlated with participants' signature size.•Self- and other ratings in the NfU-G showed high agreement.•We found greater willingness to take risks for individuals high in NfU.

ABSTRACTThe Need for Uniqueness (NfU) represents the extent to which an individual is motivated to appear special and different from others. NfU has been studied in various areas of interest to social psychology and neighboring disciplines, e.g., consumer behavior, social influence, as well as in the realm of cultural and individual differences. We adopted a scale for assessing NfU in German speaking populations. Four studies attest to the reliability and validity of the German NfU scale. After item selection in Study 1, we found convergent validity with the Big Five personality traits and high re-test reliability (Study 2). In Study 3, we further found that NfU correlated with signature size and external assessments. Finally, we confirmed the hypothesized relationship between NfU and risk taking (Study 4). The results are discussed in light of theoretical and practical implications.