Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version of the Limitations-Owning Intellectual Humility Scale

Abstract

Abstract Background Intellectual humility, which involves acknowledging one’s cognitive limitations and openness to new and challenging information, is considered a vital virtue for individual and societal outcomes, particularly in school contexts that emphasize intelligence and achievement. Despite its importance, research on intellectual humility in China is scarce. This study aims to develop and validate a Chinese version of the Limitations-Owning Intellectual Humility Scale (L-OIHS), a comprehensive measure of intellectual humility within the Chinese cultural context. Methods The study utilized four subsamples of undergraduate students from five universities in southern China. Sample 1 (n = 397) completed the Chinese version of the L-OIHS for exploratory factor analysis. Sample 2 (n = 305) completed the Chinese version of the L-OIHS for confirmatory factor analysis. Sample 3 (n = 696) completed the Chinese version of the L-OIHS, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale (MCSD), and the closed-mindedness subscale of the Need for Cognitive Closure Scale (NFCCS) for criterion-related validity analysis. Sample 4 (n = 161) completed the Chinese version of the L-OIHS again after an eight-week interval for test-retest reliability analysis. Results The results of the exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the Chinese version of the L-OIHS had the same three-factor structure as the original English version, namely, love of learning, appropriate discomfort with intellectual limitations, and owning one’s intellectual limitations. These three factors explained 67.49% of the total variance, and the fit indices of this three-factor model were acceptable. Criterion-related validity results revealed a significant negative correlation between the total score and dimensions of the L-OIHS and closed-mindedness. The Cronbach’s α coefficients for the total score and dimensions of the L-OIHS ranged from 0.84 to 0.88. The test-retest reliability was also satisfactory, with a correlation coefficient of 0.72 after eight weeks. Conclusion This study provides a reliable and valid instrument for measuring intellectual humility in Chinese-speaking populations, offering practical applications for promoting intellectual humility across various domains.