Cognitive style and affect: A comparison of the Kirton adaption-innovation and Schutz's fundamental interpersonal relations orientation-behaviour inventories (KAI and FIRO-B)

Abstract

Kirton's theory of adaptive-innovative cognitive style is rooted in the field of cognition (Kirton, 1994a). He has asserted that the KAI (Kirton Adaption-Innovation Inventory), his measure of adaptive-innovative cognitive style, should correlate insignificantly with measures of affect (Kirton, 1994a, p. xx). The purpose of this study was to explore Kirton's assertion by investigating the relationship between scores for the KAI and the six subscales of Schutz's measure of interpersonal needs, FIRO-B (Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation-Behavior). The subjects in the present study were U.K. research and development staff and U.K. multiple project managers. This study extends that recently published by Kubes, which involved Slovak research and development staff (Kubes, 1992). In the present study no significant correlations emerged for the sample of multiple project managers and only two were found for the research and development staff at the low levels of r = 0.27 and 0.22, P<0.01. In all, it is concluded from the U.K. and Slovak data that there is no significant relationship between KAI and FIRO-B scores and hence Kirton's assertions regarding the independence of affect and cognitive style are supported.