Typical intellectual engagement

[2] TIE is moderately positively associated with crystallized intelligence,[1] and with general knowledge,[3] and predicts academic performance.

[4] TIE is hard to distinguish from the earlier construct need for cognition[2] and is positively correlated with openness to experience.

Goff and Ackerman argued that it is not practical or desirable to separate intellectual performance from motivational and volitional factors.

TIE has a strong positive relationship with the personality domain openness to experience, particularly the ideas facet.

[2] Another study found that TIE had very strong positive intercorrelations with a number of similar constructs, specifically epistemic curiosity, need for cognition, and openness to ideas.

[7] The author of this study argued that although the four constructs lack discriminant validity they are not necessarily all conceptually equivalent as each one may emphasise particular aspects of functioning more than others.