Validation of the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale in Colombia / Validación de la Escala de Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest en Colombia

ABSTRACT

Abstract This paper presents a theoretical review of the psychological construct of human curiosity and the Colombian version of the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale. This is a two-factor self-report scale that assesses the attitude and the interest that people have to explore their own inner world. Two paired samples for gender, age and working class of Colombian (n = 170) and Italian (n = 195) participants (N = 365) were included in the study. Confirmatory Factor Analysis revealed a good fit of the data to the two-factor model of the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale in Italian and Colombian subjects (respectively, x 2(13) =16.073, p = .245 and x 2(13) =10.352, p = .665). Also, Measurement Invariance Analysis suggested equivalent factor structures (Configurai Invariance, x 2 (26) = 26.423, p = .440) and factor loadings across the two groups (Metric Invariance, x 2 (31) = 34.242, p = .315). The results do not support scalar invariance (x 2 (38) = 82.058, p < .001). Data suggest concurrent validity of the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest in the Colombian group, welding evidence for the scale application in the Colombian context. In conclusion, the results posit that the two-factor model of the Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale is adequate in Colombia; the psychological construct of self-curiosity is conceived similarly in Colombia and in Italy, and the scale has expected correlations with other relevant psychological constructs.

RESUMEN

Resumen El objetivo de este estudio es presentar una revisión teórica del constructo psicológico de la curiosidad humana, así como presentar la validación de la versión colombiana de la Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale, una escala de auto-reporte de dos factores que evalúa la actitud y el interés que la gente posee para explorar su propio mundo interior. Se incluyeron en el estudio participantes (N = 365) Colombianos (n = 170) e Italianos (n = 195) pareados por género, edad y clase trabajadora. El Análisis Factorial Confirmatorio ha revelado un buen ajuste de los datos al modelo de dos factores de Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale en participantes italianos y colombianos (respectivamente, x 2(13) =16.073, p = .245 y x 2(13) =10.352, p = .665). El Análisis de Invariancia ha sugerido factores de estructuras (Invariancia de Configuración, x 2 (26) = 26.423, p = .440) y pesos de los factores equivalentes entre los dos grupos (Invariancia Métrica, x 2 (31) = 34.242, p = .315). Los datos no soportan la Invariancia Escalar (x 2 (38) = 82.058, p < .001). Adicionalmente, los datos destacaron la validez concurrente de la escala en el grupo de Colombia, y la posibilidad de aplicar la escala en el contexto colombiano. En conclusión, los resultados demuestran que el modelo de dos factores de la Self-Curiosity Attitude-Interest Scale es apto para ser aplicado en Colombia, así mismo reflejan que el concepto psicológico de la self-curiosity es concebido de forma similar tanto en Colombia como en Italia, y que la escala indica correlaciones con otras construcciones psicológicas relevantes.