Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (original) (raw)
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An Assessment of the Dimensionality and Factorial Structure of the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale
Frontiers in Psychology
Since its introduction, the Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS) has developed into a principal measure of belief in the paranormal. Accordingly, the RPBS regularly appears within parapsychological research. Despite common usage, academic debates continue to focus on the factorial structure of the RPBS and its psychometric integrity. Using an aggregated heterogeneous sample (N = 3,764), the present study tested the fit of 10 factorial models encompassing variants of the most commonly proposed solutions (seven, five, two, and one-factor) plus new bifactor alternatives. A comparison of competing models revealed a seven-factor bifactor solution possessed superior data-model fit (CFI = 0.945, TLI = 0.933, IFI = 0.945, SRMR = 0.046, RMSEA = 0.058), containing strong factor loadings for a general factor and weaker, albeit acceptable, factor loadings for seven subfactors. This indicated that belief in the paranormal, as measured by the RPBS, is best characterized as a single overarching construct, comprising several related, but conceptually independent subfactors. Furthermore, women reported significantly higher paranormal belief scores than men, and tests of invariance indicated that mean differences in gender are unlikely to reflect measurement bias. Results indicate that despite concerns about the content and psychometric integrity of the RPBS the measure functions well at both a global and seven-factor level. Indeed, the original seven-factors contaminate alternative solutions.
International Journal of Transpersonal Studies , 2024
The Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS) is the most widely-used tool for measuring beliefs in paranormal phenomena, although it is not free from criticism. Lindeman and Aarnio (2006) proposed an extended version of the RPBS with some improvements and a second-order hierarchical model to explain the structure of the scale. Our objective was to analyze the goodness of fit of the model and measurement invariance by sex in a Spanish sample. A sample of 6,584 participants completed the extended RPBS. After reversed items were removed, the model demonstrated an adequate fit, significant factor loadings and invariance between sexes. The results suggest the possibility of generalizing the RPBS to other cultures. Nonetheless, further research is needed to agree a precise definition of the concept of paranormal beliefs.
Top-down puri®cation of Tobacyk's Revised Paranormal Belief Scale
Using mostly undergraduate student data (N = 560), factor analysis con®rmed the existence of seven factors in Tobacyk's Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS). However, this replication proved to be of dubious value since (1) the factor structure was signi®cantly aected by age and gender; (2) the items in Tobacyk's original factors were signi®cantly non-additive; (3) the items showed pervasive dierential item functioning (DIF) related to respondents' ages, gender, or both; and (4) simulations indicated that the factor structure are the result of DIF. The removal of DIF vià`top-down puri®cation'' yielded two correlated clusters of items dubbed``New Age Philosophy'' and``Traditional Paranormal Beliefs''. Both clusters obey an Andrich rating-scale model with person reliabilities of 0.90 and 0.74, respectively. Principal component analysis con®rmed that these two clusters are unidimensional and without signi®cant age or gender DIF (p > 0.10). While the Traditional Paranormal Beliefs cluster continued to show a signi®cant main eect of age, neither cluster showed a signi®cant gender eect, thereby calling into question some traditional ®ndings regarding paranormal beliefs. We strongly suspect that the dearth of DIF studies indicates that age and gender biases due to DIF have largely gone unnoticed in the extant personality and assessment literature. 7
Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 1983
A 25-item self-report questionnaire designed to assess belief in the paranormal was constructed based on the results from factor analysis of a 61-item pool administered to 391 college students. Factor analysis revealed seven independent dimensions comprising belief in the paranormal. These factors were Traditional Religious Belief, Psi Belief, Witchcraft, Superstition, Spiritualism, Extraordinary Life Forms, and Precognition. The Paranormal Scale was constructed by selecting either three or four marker items to represent each of the seven dimensions as paranormal subscales. Descriptive statistics for this Paranormal Scale and the seven subscales are presented, as well as reliability statistics. Studies were presented that support the validity of this Paranormal Scale and subscales with such personality/adjustment constructs as internal-external locus of control, sensation seeking, death threat, actual self-ideal self-concept, uncritical inferences, dogmatism, and irrational beliefs. It was concluded that this scale offers promise as an assessment instrument for paranormal belief.
Development of the Paranormal and Supernatural Beliefs Scale using classical and modern test theory
2021
Background This study describes the construction and validation of a new scale for measuring belief in paranormal phenomena. The work aims to address psychometric and conceptual shortcomings associated with existing measures of paranormal belief. The study also compares the use of classic test theory and modern test theory as methods for scale development. Method We combined novel items and amended items taken from existing scales, to produce an initial corpus of 29 items. Two hundred and thirty-one adult participants rated their level of agreement with each item using a seven-point Likert scale. Results Classical test theory methods (including exploratory factor analysis and principal components analysis) reduced the scale to 14 items and one overarching factor: Supernatural Beliefs . The factor demonstrated high internal reliability, with an excellent test–retest reliability for the total scale. Modern test theory methods (Rasch analysis using a rating scale model) reduced the sca...
Top-down purification of Tobacyk’s Revised Paranormal Belief Scale
Personality and Individual Differences, 2000
Using mostly undergraduate student data (N=560), factor analysis confirmed the existence of seven factors in Tobacyk’s Revised Paranormal Belief Scale (RPBS). However, this replication proved to be of dubious value since (1) the factor structure was significantly affected by age and gender; (2) the items in Tobacyk’s original factors were significantly non-additive; (3) the items showed pervasive differential item functioning (DIF) related to respondents’ ages, gender, or both; and (4) simulations indicated that the factor structure are the result of DIF. The removal of DIF via “top-down purification” yielded two correlated clusters of items dubbed “New Age Philosophy” and “Traditional Paranormal Beliefs”. Both clusters obey an Andrich rating-scale model with person reliabilities of 0.90 and 0.74, respectively. Principal component analysis confirmed that these two clusters are unidimensional and without significant age or gender DIF (p>0.10). While the Traditional Paranormal Beliefs cluster continued to show a significant main effect of age, neither cluster showed a significant gender effect, thereby calling into question some traditional findings regarding paranormal beliefs. We strongly suspect that the dearth of DIF studies indicates that age and gender biases due to DIF have largely gone unnoticed in the extant personality and assessment literature.
Validation of the Paranormal Health Beliefs Scale for adults
We present the validation study of the Paranormal Health Beliefs Scale adult version, aimed to measure illusory beliefs about health. The scale was administered to 643 participants (54.3% females), having an average age of 29.7 years (standard deviation = 18.31). The results of the analyses confirmed the dimensions of the Paranormal Health Beliefs Scale as developed in the previous adolescent study (Beliefs: Religious, Superstitious, in Extraordinary Events, Parapsychological, and Pseudo-scientific of a biomedical nature), as well as the convergent and discriminant validity through the correlation with other constructs (locus of control and self-efficacy). The results also showed significant differences between subgroups by gender and age. The Paranormal Health Beliefs Scale shows satisfactory psychometric properties and thus may be used effectively to identify the varied range of illusory beliefs related to health, even within the context of lifelong educational programs aimed at health promotion.