An International Meeting of the American Accounting Association American Accounting Association 2006 Annual Meeting August 6–9, 2006 Washington, D.C.

Charles D. Bailey
The University of Memphis

Cynthia M. Daily
University of Arkansas at Little Rock

Thomas J. Phillips Jr.
Louisiana Tech Universit

Abstract: The extent to which auditors seek and process information before forming a judgment can have important consequences. In this regard, psychology researchers have identified a personality characteristic, called Cognitive Need for Closure, concerning one’s drive to terminate deliberations and reach conclusions. This construct, and Kruglanski’s Need for Closure Scale (NFCS) to measure dispositional need for closure (DNFC), are well established in the psychology literature but not in the accounting literature. We began our study of this construct by administering the NFCS to a sample of Big-Four auditors. After finding significant differences across ranks, we carried out a series of experiments, using senior and graduate accounting majors, to investigate whether DNFC affects judgment and decision-making in relevant professional settings. We find differences in stereotyping behavior (impression formation) and in time spent on assigned tasks. Implications for future research are discussed.

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