The need for cognitive closure and the level of creative behavior in relation to the comprehension and design of complex spatial structures

Although the relationship between the cognitive style and creativity has been the subject of many studies, the results have been inconsistent. Therefore, it seems reasonable to further scrutinize the issue, particularly in the context of professionals, whose jobs involve creativity. The aim of the study was to determine the relationship between the need for cognitive closure and the level of creative and reproductive attitudes with the comprehension and design of complex spatial structures. The study involved 111 first-year students of Architecture at the Faculty of Architecture of the Cracow University of Technology. The results revealed that individuals with a low level of skills in design using geometric constructs had higher levels of reconstructive attitudes in the area of conformity and a lower level of the need for cognitive closure in the area of decisiveness than the ones with a high level of design skills, using geometric constructions. It was also found that as the level of the need for cognitive closure increased, the level of creative behaviour decreased; however, in participants with a high level of design skills using geometric constructions, it showed an upward trend. The results also indicated that the respondents held an average level of creative behaviour and a high level of conformity associated with a reproductive attitude, which is a worrying result as far as the future architects are concerned.