Factor Analysis of the Mystical Scale in Yi Ethnic Group: Indigenous Psychologies and Universalism
November 24, 2020 Zhengjia Ren
Among 428 Yi participants, those who practice Bimoism and those without a Bimoism background both exhibit mystical experiences that fit Stace’s three-factor structure. However, the ordering of factors differs: transcendence for Bimoist Yi is more extrovertive, whereas for non-Bimoist Yi it is more introvertive. The authors argue that these results support a common experiential core of mystical experience across traditions, while also showing that sociocultural and religious context shapes how people organize those experiences. The study supports the universality of mysticism at the facet level and highlights distinct factor structures reflecting indigenous psychologies.