What is it about?
This study developed and applied a new psychological scale to measure reckless thinking among students in the Faculties of Education for Humanities and Pure Sciences at the University of Mosul. Reckless thinking refers to a pattern of making rapid decisions without adequate planning, considering consequences, or evaluating risks. The scale consisted of 24 items covering four dimensions: impulsivity, risk-taking, lack of planning, and haste in decision-making. A sample of 400 male and female students from different academic stages participated in the study. The scale demonstrated strong psychometric characteristics, including good validity and reliability. The findings showed that students generally displayed levels of reckless thinking lower than the hypothetical average, suggesting that social, cultural, and educational influences may contribute to regulating impulsive behavior and encouraging more cautious decision-making among university students.
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Why is it important?
This work is important because reckless thinking can affect students' academic performance, decision-making, and psychological adjustment. University students frequently encounter social, academic, and personal pressures that may increase impulsive behaviors and reduce thoughtful decision-making. The study provides a scientifically validated tool that can be used by researchers, educators, counselors, and psychologists to identify levels of reckless thinking among students and understand its contributing factors. The findings may help educational institutions design preventive and counseling programs aimed at strengthening self-regulation, planning skills, and responsible decision-making. The study is also important because it contributes to the psychological literature by examining reckless thinking within the Iraqi university context and may provide a basis for future comparative and intervention studies.
Perspectives
From my perspective, understanding reckless thinking among university students extends beyond identifying impulsive behavior; it helps us understand how students process challenges, social pressures, and future responsibilities. I believe that educational institutions should not only focus on academic achievement but also on strengthening psychological resilience, critical thinking, and self-regulation skills. This study represents an attempt to provide an evidence-based measurement tool that may support future research and practical interventions. I hope this work contributes to developing preventive educational and psychological programs that help students make more balanced and thoughtful decisions in both academic and personal life.
Mohammed Hashim Taha Sulaiman AL-Ogaidi
University of Mosul
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Building and Applying the Reckless Thinking Scale among Students of the Faculties of Education for Humanities and Pure Sciences, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, December 2025, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science,
DOI: 10.47772/ijriss.2025.91200015.
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