title: Need to know: the need for cognitive closure impacts the clinical practice of obstetrician/gynecologists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Need for cognitive closure (NFCC) has been shown to be a consistent and measurable trait. It has effects on decision making and has been associated with more rapid decision making, higher reliance on heuristics or biases for decision making, reduced tolerance for ambiguity, and reduced interest in searching for alternatives. In medical practice, these tendencies may lead to lower quality of decision making.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study measured NFCC in 312 obstetrician/gynecologists using a survey-style approach. Physicians were administered a short NFCC scale and asked questions about their clinical practice.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obstetrician/gynecologists with high NFCC were found to be less likely to address a number of clinical questions during well-woman exams, and were more likely to consult a greater number of sources when prescribing new medications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  NFCC of physicians may have an important impact on practice. It is possible that increased training during residency or medical school could counteract the detrimental effects of NFCC, and steps can be taken through increased use of electronic reminder systems could orient physicians to the appropriate questions to ask patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 409 12th St, SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA. graglan@acog.org.|Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, 20016, USA. graglan@acog.org.
authors.forename: Greta B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Raglan
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. mbabush@umd.edu.
authors.forename: Maxim
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Babush
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 409 12th St, SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA. vafarrow@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Victoria A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Farrow
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA. arie@psyc.umd.edu.
authors.forename: Arie W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Kruglanski
authors.affiliation: Department of Research, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 409 12th St, SW, Washington, DC, 20024, USA. jschulkin@acog.org.
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Schulkin
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003071:Cognition; D003142:Communication; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006176:Gynecology / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged; D009774:Obstetrics / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D035501:Uncertainty