The Kirton Adaption ‐ Innovation Inventory: A re‐examination of the factor structure

Although the Kirton Adaption ‐ Innovation Inventory (KAI) has almost always been used as a single scale purporting to measure a dimension of cognitive style, the KAI Manual characterizes three factors. This paper provides further confirmatory evidence of the structure of the three‐factor model and of the high reliability coefficients of the three subscales. However, it questions whether three factors are sufficient and examines four‐ and five‐factor models. Evidence is provided that the ‘O’ subscale in the orthodox three‐factor model contains two conceptual elements, a major component concerned with idea generation and a minor component concerned with preference for stability/change. A four‐factor model of KAI is proposed and an argument is advanced which leads to concern about the idea generation element of the ‘O’ subscale as a measure purely of cognitive style. Some implications for the development of the KAI are outlined.