Suedfeld's Integrative Complexity Research

Integrative Complexity in a Nutshell

Integrative complexity is a measure of the intellectual style used by individuals or groups in processing information, problem solving, and decision making. Complexity looks at the structure of one's thoughts, while ignoring the contents. It is scorable from almost any verbal materials: books, articles, fiction, letters, speeches and speech transcripts, video and audio tapes, and interviews.
Complexity has two components, differentiation and integration. Differentiation refers to the perception of different dimensions when considering an issue. Integration refers to the recognition of cognitive connections among differentiated dimensions or perspectives.

If you want more technical information about integrative complexity, or want to learn how to score for this construct, please click this link to visit the highly successful Electronic Complexity Workshop.

Suedfeld's Research Use of Integrative Complexity at UBC

Much of the research in Dr. Suedfeld's laboratory utilizes integrative complexity in some way, with the studies using it most falling under the general category of Political Psychology (occasionally as part of an ongoing collaboration with Michael D. Wallace from the department of Political Science). Other studies address issues related to social, cognitive, and environmental psychology. Crossing all of these categories, the brief examples listed below are divided by the type of data used, Questionnaire versus Archival.

Research Using Questionnaire Data

Research Using Archival Data

Last updated: Monday, June 7, 2004

Follow this link to see a complete list of Dr. Suedfeld's relevant publications on this topic.
Note that that list has a large degree of overlap with the Political Psychology reference list.

For more technical information regarding the integrative complexity construct, or to learn to score for it, visit the Electronic Complexity Workshop.
Currently averaging 20 registrants a year

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About this web-site

This web-site describes the research and other achievements of Dr. Peter Suedfeld, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Psychology at the University of British Columbia.

This page describes Dr. Suedfeld's general research use of the integrative complexity construct, a means of characterizing the style of verbal discourse. Integrative complexity is used in nearly all of Suedfeld's many research projects, which may be explored through the following topic links:

Personal information:

Biographic Info, Recent Publications, and Current Projects

Primary Research topics:

Political PsychologyExtreme & Unusual EnvironmentsHolocaust Studies


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