Need for Cognition, Task Complexity, and Job Satisfaction

Abstract

The relationship between need for cognition and task complexity was tested with 37 work teams in the Korean civil engineering management industry. Individual team members’ job satisfaction was predicted by an individual factor (the interaction between individual need for cognition and individual task complexity) and a team factor (team need for cognition). Individuals high in need for cognition were more satisfied with their jobs when they perceived their task to be complex. Individual team members who belong to teams high in team need for cognition were more satisfied with their jobs, regardless of team task complexity. Regarding the relationship between team type and individuals, it was found that for individual members of teams high in both team need for cognition and in task complexity, individuals’ job satisfaction was positively related to their individual need for cognition and also to their individual task complexity. These and other findings are discussed in detail and implications for the findings are provided.