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Individual differences in the desire for simple structure may influence how people understand, experience, and interact with their worlds. Studies 1 and 2 revealed that the Personal Need for Structure (PNS) scale (M. Thompson, M. Naccarato, Norman Pashler, 1992), the information-processing task i s quite formidable. Thus, people look for ways to reduce the information load. People lessen their cognitive load in two fundamental ways. First, through avoidance strategies, they limit the amount of information t o which they are exposed. People may create barriers that restrict the likelihood that social and environmental information will intrude unexpectedly on their lives (e.g., by placing walls around their yards, closing the doors of their offices, wearing headphones in the streets). People may choose not to venture beyond their homes and workplaces, thus reducing exposure to unwanted information. Also, when compelled to confront and interact with others, people may actively ignore
Neuberg et al. (Thu,) studied this question.