The Role of Need for Cognition and Need for Closure in the Health Information Avoidance Among Cancer Patients

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

• Maryam Torkaman ¹
• Mahdieh Mirzabeigi ²
• Mehdi Mohammadi ³

¹ M. A., Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Shiraz University. Shiraz, Iran.

² Associate Professor, Department of Knowledge and Information Science, Shiraz University. Shiraz, Iran.

³ Professor, Shiraz University. Shiraz, Iran.

10.22067/infosci.2025.92192.1234

Abstract

Introduction:  Health information avoidance has increasingly been recognized as a significant concern, particularly among individuals diagnosed with cancer, and is now considered an integral component of the broader health information management process. Within this context, some patients not only abstain from actively seeking information related to their condition, but also purposefully—or as a result of diminished motivation—disengage from available information altogether. Consequently, critical health information that could substantially inform decision-making and support treatment adherence is, at times, intentionally overlooked. Given the potential ramifications of such behavior, it is imperative to investigate the underlying mechanisms and contributing factors that drive health information avoidance, particularly among cancer patients. Among the various influencing factors, cognitive characteristics play a pivotal role. In particular, two salient cognitive traits—need for cognition and need for closure—are recognized for their substantial impact on individuals’ engagement with or avoidance of health-related information, especially in high-stress, emotionally charged contexts such as coping with cancer. Accordingly, the present study aims to examine the extent to which need for cognition and need for closure predict health information avoidance among individuals diagnosed with cancer.
Methodology: The study employed a quantitative research design, was applied in nature with respect to its objectives, and utilized a descriptive-correlational approach for data collection. The target population comprised students from Shiraz University who either had a personal history of cancer or had a family member with such a history. In accordance with the research objectives, a total of 212 participants were selected using convenience sampling and the G*Power software for sample size determination. For data collection, a structured questionnaire was employed, comprising three validated instruments: the Information Avoidance Questionnaire, adapted from Miles et al. (2008); the Need for Cognition Scale, developed by Cacioppo et al. (1984); and the Need for Closure Scale, originally developed by Webster and Kruglanski (1994) and later revised and abbreviated by Roets and Van Hiel (2011). Following an assessment of the instruments’ validity and reliability, recruitment for participation was conducted through social media platforms and in-person distribution at the dormitories of Shiraz University. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 23), employing Pearson correlation, simple linear regression, and multiple regression analyses.
Findings: To examine the relationships among the variables of interest, Pearson correlation analysis was employed. The results indicated a statistically significant negative correlation between need for cognition and health information avoidance (r = –0.391, p < 0.01), as well as a statistically significant positive correlation between need for closure and health information avoidance (r = 0.157, p < 0.05). To further explore the predictive roles of need for cognition and need for closure in health information avoidance among cancer patients, simple linear regression analyses were conducted. The analysis revealed that need for cognition accounted for 15.3% of the variance in health information avoidance. Accordingly, need for cognition emerged as a significant negative predictor of health information avoidance. Conversely, need for closure accounted for 2.4% of the variance in health information avoidance, indicating that it served as a significant positive predictor. Furthermore, to investigate the combined influence of need for cognition and need for closure on health information avoidance among cancer patients, a multiple regression analysis was conducted. The results indicated that the two variables jointly explained 21.4% of the variance in health information avoidance. Thus, when considered simultaneously, both need for cognition and need for closure were significant predictors of health information avoidance.
Discussion and conclusion: The findings of the study indicate that both need for cognition and need for closure, independently and interactively, significantly predict health information avoidance behavior among cancer patients. Specifically, the interplay between these two cognitive traits appears to play a critical role in shaping avoidance tendencies, contributing to the development of more complex patterns of health information avoidance within this population. Accordingly, it is recommended that the concurrent influence of need for cognition and need for closure be carefully considered in efforts to understand and address health information avoidance among cancer patients. This dual-perspective approach offers a valuable foundation for the development of effective support systems and targeted interventions that align with the cognitive profiles of this population. Furthermore, the formulation of appropriate policies and practical strategies—such as the implementation of educational initiatives (e.g., health information literacy programs)—may enhance patient engagement with health information and mitigate avoidance behaviors.
Originality: This study makes a notable contribution to the existing body of literature by addressing a relatively understudied area: the concurrent influence of need for cognition and need for closure on health information avoidance among cancer patients. Whereas prior research has generally considered these cognitive traits in isolation, the present study is among the first to examine their joint impact. In doing so, it provides a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of the cognitive mechanisms underlying information avoidance within this vulnerable population. By addressing this critical gap in the literature, the study also establishes a foundation for future research aimed at designing health communication strategies that are attuned to individuals’ cognitive profiles.

Keywords

• Information Avoidance
• Health Information Avoidance
• Need for Cognition
• Need for Closure
• Cancer Patients

Main Subjects

• Information Behavior

---

©2025 The author(s). This is an open access article distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0)

References

Barbour, J. B., Rintamaki, L. S., Ramsey, J. A., & Brashers, D. E. (2012). Avoiding health information. Journal of Health Communication, 17(2), 212-229. https://doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2011.585691

Bina, S., & Browne, G. (2018). Information Avoidance in Requirements Determination for Systems Development. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Information-Avoidance-in-Requirements-Determination-Bina-Browne/1d0581f47657ddefd0289e74e8fd6267a077116f

Broekhuis, M., van Velsen, L., De Franco, D., Pease, A., & Hermens, H. (2022). Contextual health information behavior in the daily lives of people with type 2 diabetes: a diary study in Scotland. Health communication, 37(3), 272-284. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2020.1837426

Cacioppo, J. T., & Petty, R. E. (1982). The need for cognition. Journal of personality and social psychology, 42(1), 116-131. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.42.1.116

Cacioppo, J. T., Petty, R. E., Feinstein, J. A., & Jarvis, W. B. G. (1996). Dispositional differences in cognitive motivation: The life and times of individuals varying in need for cognition. Psychological bulletin, 119(2), 197-253. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.119.2.197

Cacioppo, J. T., Petty, R. E., & Feng Kao, C. (1984). The efficient assessment of need for cognition. Journal of personality assessment, 48(3), 306-307. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4803_13

Cazan, A.-M., & Indreica, S. E. (2014). Need for cognition and approaches to learning among university students. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 127, 134-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.SBSPRO.2014.03.227

Chae, J., Lee, C.-J., & Kim, K. (2019). Prevalence, predictors, and psychosocial mechanism of cancer information avoidance: Findings from a national survey of US adults. Health communication, 35(3), 322-330. https://doi.org/10.1080/10410236.2018.1563028

Chen, X., Xu, Z., Li, T., Wang, L., Li, P., Xu, H., Feng, C., & Liu, C. (2022). Multivariate morphological brain signatures enable individualized prediction of dispositional need for closure. Brain Imaging and Behavior, 16(3), 1049-1064. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11682-021-00574-w

Chuang, W.-H., & Chiu, M.-H. P. (2019). Health information avoidance behavior of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Library and Information Journal, 17(2), 71-102. https://doi.org/10.6182/jlis.201912_17(2).071

Darvishi, M., Seif, M. H., Sarmadi, M. R., & Farajollahi, M. (2021). Presenting the Casual Model of Cognitive Absorption, Need for Cognition and Perceived Enjoyment of Learning Via Augmented Reality (AR): Mediating Role of Mobile Self-Efficacy and Academic Engagement. Research in School and Virtual Learning, 8(4), 53-66. https://doi.org/10.30473/etl.2021.57812.3442 [In Persian].

Ding, Q., Gu, Y., Zhang, G., Li, X., Zhao, Q., Gu, D., Yang, X., & Wang, X. (2022). What Causes Health Information Avoidance Behavior under Normalized COVID-19 Pandemic? A Research from Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis.  Healthcare, 10(8), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10081381

Fortier, A., & Burkell, J. (2014). Influence of need for cognition and need for cognitive closure on three information behavior orientations. Proceedings of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 51(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1002/meet.2014.14505101066

Gärtner, A., Grass, J., Wolff, M., Goschke, T., Strobel, A., & Strobel, A. (2021). No relation of Need for Cognition to basic executive functions. Journal of Personality, 89(6), 1113-1125. https://doi.org/10.1111/jopy.12639

Ghanbari Khoshnood, M., Safavi, Z., Derikvand, P., & Rastegary, F. (2024). The Relationship between Personality Traits and Health Information-Seeking Behavior of Users of Public Libraries Based on Miller's Theory [quantitative]. Research on Information Science and Public Libraries, 30(2), 176-191. https://doi.org/10.61186/publij.30.2.176 [In Persian].

Gignac, G. E., & Stevens, E. M. (2024). Attitude toward numbers: A better predictor of financial literacy and intelligence than need for cognition. Intelligence, 103, 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intell.2024.101808

Guo, C., Si, L., & Sun, Y. (2023). Research on the process and influencing factors of online diabetes information users’ avoidance behavior: a qualitative study. Behavioral Sciences, 13(3), 1-20. https://doi.org/10.3390/bs13030267

He, R., & Li, Y. (2021). Media exposure, cancer beliefs, and cancer-related information-seeking or avoidance behavior patterns in China. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(6), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18063130

Heck, P. R., & Meyer, M. N. (2019). Information avoidance in genetic health: Perceptions, norms, and preferences. Social Cognition, 37(3), 266-293. https://doi.org/10.1521/soco.2019.37.3.266

Jensen, J. G., Petersen, E., & Frandsen, T. F. (2022). Seeking and avoiding information: a qualitative study of the information behaviour of cancer patients. Information Research, 27. https://doi.org/10.47989/colis2209

Juric, M. (2017). The role of the need for cognition in the university students’ reading behaviour. Information Research, 22(1). https://informationr.net/ir/22-1/isic/isic1620.html

Karim, M., Widén, G., & Heinström, J. (2019). Influence of demographics and information literacy self-efficacy on information avoidance propensity among youth. Information Research, 24(4). http://www.informationr.net/ir/24-4/colis/colis1909.html

Khademizadeh, S., Peymannia, B., & Rafieinasab, F. (2024). Design and Developing of Health Information Behavior Questionnaire [Original Research]. Payavard Salamat, 18(1), 32-43. http://payavard.tums.ac.ir/article-1-7629-fa.html [In Persian].

Klaus, J. C. (2021). How is Information Avoidance currently understood and researched?. Bachelor's thesis. Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. https://doi.org/10.18452/23047

Kossowska, M., & Bar‐Tal, Y. (2013). Need for closure and heuristic information processing: The moderating role of the ability to achieve the need for closure. British journal of psychology, 104(4), 457-480. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjop.12001

Kruglanski, A. W., & Webster, D. M. (1996). Motivated closing of the mind: "Seizing" and "freezing." Psychological review, 103(2), 263-283. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-295X.103.2.263

Link, E., & Baumann, E. (2022). Explaining cancer information avoidance comparing people with and without cancer experience in the family. Psycho‐Oncology, 31(3), 442-449. https://doi.org/10.1002/pon.5826

Link, E., Rosset, M., & Freytag, A. (2022). Patterns of online information seeking and avoidance about SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. European Journal of Health Communication, 3(1), 53-75. https://doi.org/10.47368/ejhc.2022.103

Lu, Q., Link, E., Baumann, E., & Schulz, P. J. (2024). Linking patient-centered communication with cancer information avoidance: The mediating roles of patient trust and literacy. Patient Education and Counseling, 123, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pec.2024.108230

Meerza, S. I. A., Brooks, K. R., Gustafson, C. R., & Yiannaka, A. (2021). Information avoidance behavior: Does ignorance keep us uninformed about antimicrobial resistance?. Food Policy, 102, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2021.102067

Miles, A., Voorwinden, S., Chapman, S., & Wardle, J. (2008). Psychologic predictors of cancer information avoidance among older adults: the role of cancer fear and fatalism. Cancer epidemiology biomarkers & prevention, 17(8), 1872-1879. https://doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.epi-08-0074

Ming, Y. (2023). Impacts from intentional and incidental online health information seeking and eHealth literacy on shared decision-making and information avoidance among diabetic patients. Kent State University. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=kent1689588504948731

Naderbeigi, F., & Isfandyari-Moghaddam, A. (2021). Case Study of information Avoidance in Medical Students. Library and Information Science Research, 11(1), 198-219. https://doi.org/10.22067/infosci.2021.24209.0 [In Persian].

Namuleme, R. K. (2013). Information and HIV/AIDS: an ethnographic study of information behaviour. Doctoral dissertation. University of Sheffield. https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/3772/1/NamulemeRobinah18.03.13.pdf

Orom, H., Schofield, E., Kiviniemi, M. T., Waters, E. A., & Hay, J. L. (2021). Agency beliefs are associated with lower health information avoidance. Health Education Journal, 80(3), 272-286. https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896920967046

Paliwal, D. (2021). Investigating the Gender Effects on The Five Facets of The Need for Closure. International Journal of Indian Psychȯlogy, 9(1), 1752-1758. https://ijip.in/articles/investigating-the-gender-effects-on-the-five-facets-of-the-need-for-closure/

Ranjbar, P., Hashemian, M., Ghassabi, F., & Zare- Farashbandi, F. (2023). Reasons and Factors for Avoiding Health Information among Health Services Providers and Recipients: A Scoping review. Journal of Health Administration, 26(1), 28-48. https://doi.org/10.22034/26.1.30 [In Persian].

Rezazadeh, M., & Zarrinabadi, N. (2021). The role of need for closure and need for cognition in writing-specific psychological factors. Discourse Processes, 58(10), 869-885. https://doi.org/10.1080/0163853X.2021.1960088

Roets, A., & Van Hiel, A. (2011). Item selection and validation of a brief, 15-item version of the Need for Closure Scale. Personality and individual differences, 50(1), 90-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2010.09.004

Rosner, L. A., Kessler, E. H., & Crowson, H. M. (2020). Predicting Workers' Cognitive Engagement and Learning Intentions During a Case Study Narrative Task. Academy of Management Proceedings, 1. https://doi.org/10.5465/AMBPP.2020.12964abstract

Rudolph, J., Greiff, S., Strobel, A., & Preckel, F. (2018). Understanding the link between need for cognition and complex problem solving. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 55, 1-43. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2018.08.001

Small, R. V., & Venkatesh, M. (1994). An Exploration of Closure as a Factor Influencing Group Member Satisfaction: Implications for Applications of Group Support Technology in Education. 832-843. https://www.academia.edu/80292047/An_Exploration_of_Closure_as_a_Factor_Influencing_Group_Member_Satisfaction_Implications_for_Applications_of_Group_Support_Technology_in_Education

Taitian, M., & Jiawei, M. (2023). Research on Influencing Factors and Correlation Paths of Health Information Avoidance Behavior Based on Fuzzy ISM-MICMAC. Information and Documentation Services, 44(2), 84-92. https://doi.org/10.12154/j.qbzlgz.2023.02.009

Torabi, M., & Mirzabeigi, M. (2021). Information Avoidance: a Systematic Review. Iranian Journal of Information Processing and Management, 37(2), 387-410. https://doi.org/10.52547/jipm.37.2.387 [In Persian].

Webster, D. M., & Kruglanski, A. W. (1994). Individual differences in need for cognitive closure. Journal of personality and social psychology, 67(6), 1049-1062. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.67.6.1049

Wu, Q., & Zhou, J. (2021). Need for cognitive closure, information acquisition and adoption of green prevention and control technology. Ecological Chemistry and Engineering S, 28(1), 129-143. https://doi.org/10.2478/eces-2021-0011

Yang, Y., Hu, R., Ge, Y., & Yin, J. (2023). Construction of influencing factors model for public information avoidance behavior in major infectious disease outbreaks based on meta-ethnography. Heliyon, 9(9), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e20240