Innovativeness and Cognitive Complexity: A Second Look
Innovativeness and cognitive complexity are hypothesized to be positively related. Since both constructs seem to be multi-dimensional, the methodological validity of the relationship is an especially important issue. Two studies were conducted using different measures of each construct. In the first, 82 undergraduates completed the Innovativeness Scale, the Open Processing Scale, and the Rep Test. The correlation between the two innovativeness scales was high, but the two with the cognitive complexity measure were non-significant. In the second, 81 undergraduates completed the Innovativeness Scale, the Open Processing Scale, and the Role Category Questionnaire. The innovativeness scales were highly correlated, but no significant correlations were found with the cognitive complexity measure. It seems that innovativeness is related, if at all, only with cognitive integration, not with cognitive differentiation.