The need for quantification. Theoretical considerations of a construct and evaluation of a scale for its measurement.

Gast, Henrik; Ostermann, Thomas; Kapanci, Tugba; Troche, Stefan J. (2023). The need for quantification. Theoretical considerations of a construct and evaluation of a scale for its measurement. Psychological test and assessment modeling, 65(2), pp. 270-293. Pabst Science Publishers

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There are growing possibilities to quantify aspects of life, and an increasing number of individuals use smartphone applications for such quantifications. This leads us to assume that there is a need for quantification (NfQ). We define NfC as an individual's need to grasp numbers about their body, their experience and behavior, and self-related aspects of the individual's surroundings. In contrast to lifelogging or self-tracking, NfQ focuses on the motivational (and more general) level. In two studies with 375 and 216 participants, we developed and evaluated the 7-item NfQ scale to assess individual differences in NfQ. In both samples, the scale was unidimensional and highly reliable. In Study 1, the NfQ scale correlated with quantification-related behavior in different areas of life (documentation of sports activities, weight control, comparing prices, preference for feedback in form of grades/numbers), pointing to the breadth of NfQ-related behaviors. NfQ correlated positively with the need for cognitive closure and external control convictions but negatively with self-efficacy. This pattern of results suggests that NfQ-related behavior compensates for deficient control beliefs and is part of a reactive coping strategy to reduce tension in the face of ambivalence and hardly controllable situations. The NfQ scale might be a promising tool in education, sports training, health, medical and psychotherapeutic interventions when high NfQ can be used to increase commitment and motivation.

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