Closed mindedness is something we all experience on a daily basis. This volume stresses the epistemic functionality of closed mindedness and its essential role in judgment and decision making. It should be of interest to upper level undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty in social, cognitive, and personality psychology as well as in sociology, political science, and business administration.

Chapter 1 Introduction; Chapter 2 Motivational Bases of Closed and Open Mindedness; Chapter 3 Specific Manifestations of Closure Needs in Information Processing Activites; Chapter 4 Prior Psychological Analyses of Closed and Open Mindedness; Chapter 5 Intrapersonal Effects of Closure Needs; Chapter 6 Interpersonal Consequences of the Closure Needs; Chapter 7 Group Phenomena; Chapter 8 Need for Closure Impact on Inter- Group Processes; Chapter 9 Need for Closure in Real- World Contexts; References Index;