To test the relationship between open-and closed-mindedness, between rigidity and nonrigidity. and the tendency of psychiatric nursing staff to alter inferences when given additional information about a patient, the Dogmatism Scale. Form E. and the Gough-Sanford Rigidity Scale were presented to 120 psychiatric nursing staff members, all employed and working directly with patients. Low-dogmatic subjects changed their inferences regarding patient behavior significantly more than high-dogmatic subjects. Although high-rigid subjects changed their inferences about patient behavior more than low-rigid subjects, the relationship was not significant.