The needs for cognition and cognitive avoidance: The example of the faculty of sports science

The aim of this study is to examine the levels of cognitive avoidance and needs for cognition of students in higher education institutions providing sports education, according to some variables and to determine the relationship between them. The sample of study consists of 209 female and 117 male students studying at different departments and grades at Gazi University, Faculty of Sport Sciences. Quantitative research method was used in the research and it was designed in relational survey model. The "Cognitive Avoidance Scale" developed by Akyay (2016) and the "Needs for Cognition Scale" developed by Uçar (2017) were used as data collection tools. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistical methods, t-test, single-factor variance analysis and Pearson Correlation test. In accordance with the findings of the study, it was seen that the cognitive avoidance and needs for cognition of the participants in the study group were at the average level (=3.23, =3.02). It can be stated that the participants have an average level of tendency to engage in cognitive activities such as learning a new concept, researching the causes of events. In addition, it can be stated that participants mostly prefer thought suppression and distraction strategies from cognitive avoidance strategies (=3.51, =3.36). It can be said that the participants made a cognitive effort to avoid a disturbing thought and that they prefer to avoid stimuli that trigger irritating thoughts. As a result of the study, it was determined that the levels of needs for cognition of the participants did not show a significant difference according to gender, class, age and their cognitive avoidance level did not show a significant difference according to gender, department, and class variables (p> .05). However, it was found that the level of needs for cognition of the participants showed a significant difference according to the department variable and their cognitive avoidance level showed a significant difference according to the age variable (p