The Effects of Everyday Thinking Styles on the Motivations underlying Reading-Behavior within Female Undergraduates

Abstract

The present study explores the effects of everyday thinking styles on the motivations underlying reading-behavior within female undergraduates. The Attributional Complexity Scale (Fletcher, et al., 1986; Moroi, 2000), the Orientation toward the Critical Thinking Scale (Hirooka, et al., 2000; 2001), the Sensation Seeking Scale (author revised version of scale developed by Terasaki et al., 1987), and the Motives for Reading Behavior Scale (Hirayama, 2005; Rikihisa & Moroi, 2012) were administered to female undergraduates (N=351). The results of factor analysis (using the likelihood method with promax rotations) extracted seven factors for the Motive for Reading Behavior Scale. The results of a subsequently conducted factor analysis classified those factors under two categories of achievement and consumption. Moreover, covariance structure analysis was also executed to confirm the hypothesized relationships between everyday thinking styles and the motivations for reading-behavior. The results indicate that while critical thinking enhances achievement motivations, it inhibits consumption motivations. The significance of research into the psychological mechanisms underlying reading-behavior is discussed.