Validation of the Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CFS) and its application in adoption of improved cassava technologies among cassava growers in Tanzania

Abstract

This research paper discusses the validation process of the cognitive flexibility scale (CFS) as a measurement instrument for farmers’ cognitive flexibility (CF). The role of CF in influencing behaviour has been established for centuries among psychologists. Thus, individual differences might be among the correlates of adoption of cassava processing technology among farmers. However, lack of an effective instrument to measure farmers’ CF has been limiting the predictive and descriptive potential of farmers’ CF. The instrument was validated in a two stages study with some specific objectives guiding the study namely; assess the instrument’s component structure validity and reliability of CFS, examine whether CFS could categorise farmers’ performance in cognitive flexibility by farmers’ demographics; and whether or not could cognitive flexibility have an influence on farmers’ adoption of cassava farming technologies. In the first stage the instrument was pilot tested in a survey conducted in Serengeti district in Mara region of Tanzania among 200 participants. Principle component Analysis (CPA) indicated that CFS was a three factor scale with good internal consistency (α = 0.85). The three factors found were technology acceptance (α = 0.92), open mindedness (α = 0.86), and adapting to new situations (α = 0.37). In the second stage, a total of 360 participants, of whom 181 were males and 178 were females responded to the CFS. It was found that the improved CFS was a three factor scale reaching an internal consistency of α = 0.85. The three subscales in the CFS were adapting to new farming technologies (α = 0.88), acceptance of new farming technologies (α = 0.86), and open mindedness to other people’s ideas (α = 0.80). The findings further indicate low correlations among the subscales, implying discriminant validity of the scale. In addition to theoretical implications, the paper discusses the measure’s effectiveness and its potential applicability in the field of rural development and with specific focus to adoption of farming technologies. The findings provide support for validity and reliability of the CFS and its multidimensional nature. It is recommended that one needs to consider contextual factors such as the level of cassava processing technology before generalizing the validity and reliability of CFS, and thus, a need for further validation studies of the instrument.

Key words: Cognitive Flexibility Scale, Flexibility in cassava processing technology, Cognitive Flexibility in Farming technologies, Psychology and adoption.