Short Scale Construction Using Meta-Analytic Ant Colony Optimization: A Demonstration With the Need For Cognition Scale

The Need for Cognition Scale (NCS) is a self-report scale measuring individual differences in the tendency to engage in and enjoy thinking. The shortened version with 18 items (NCS-18; Cacioppo et al., 1984) has widely been administered in research on persuasion, critical thinking, and educational achievement. Whereas most studies advocated for essential uni-dimensionality, the question remains which psychometric model yields the best representation of the NCS-18. In the present study, we compared six competing measurement models for the NCS-18 with meta-analytic structural equation models using summary data of 87 samples (N = 90,215). Results demonstrated that the negatively worded items introduced considerable measurement bias that was best accounted for with an acquiescence model. In a further analytical step, we showcased how the pooled correlation matrix can be used to compile short versions of the NCS-18 via Ant Colony Optimization. We examined model fit and reliability of short scales with varying item numbers (between 4 and 15) and a balanced ratio of positively and negatively worded items. We discuss the potentials and limits of the newly proposed method.

认知需求量表（NCS）是一种自我报告量表，用于衡量个体在参与和享受思考方面的差异。该量表的简版，包含18个项目（NCS-18；Cacioppo 等人，1984年），在说服力研究、批判性思维及教育成就的研究中得到了广泛应用。尽管大多数研究都主张保持其本质的单维度属性，但关于哪种心理测量模型能够最佳地代表NCS-18的问题仍悬而未决。在本研究中，我们利用来自87个样本（N = 90,215）的汇总数据，运用元分析结构方程模型，对比了NCS-18的六种竞争性测量模型。结果显示，消极措辞的项目引入了相当大的测量偏差，这种偏差最好通过顺从性模型来解释。在进一步的分析步骤中，我们展示了如何利用聚合相关矩阵，通过蚁群优化算法编制NCS-18的简短版本。我们考察了不同项目数量（介于4至15项之间）和正负措辞项目比例平衡的简短量表的模型拟合度和可靠性。我们讨论了新提出方法的潜力和局限性。