Revealing the Layers of Paranormal Beliefs: Latent Dimensions and Psychological Roots

A new 67-item scale, the Comprehensive Paranormal Belief Scale (CPBS), was developed from 29 existing measures to better capture the breadth of paranormal beliefs. In a sample of 287 undergraduates, the scale showed excellent overall reliability and a bifactor structure: a general paranormal-belief factor plus five specific dimensions—Psychic powers, Superstition, Supernatural beings, Material divination, and Traditional religious beliefs. Psychological variables, especially psychosis proneness and experiential thinking, explained more variance in beliefs than socio-political factors, with spirituality being the strongest predictor. The findings clarify the latent structure of paranormal beliefs but require cross-cultural validation due to the homogeneous sample.

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Abstract

Efforts to map the breadth and latent structure of paranormal beliefs have been challenged by inconsistent findings, largely due to conceptual clarity and the use of incompatible instruments. To address this, we developed the 67-item Comprehensive Paranormal Belief Scale (CPBS), derived from 29 existing measures, and administered it to an undergraduate sample (N = 287). The CPBS demonstrated excellent internal consistency (α = .97) and acceptable-to-good reliabilities for 12 subscales (αs ranging from .71 to .87). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses supported a bifactor structure comprising a general paranormal-belief factor alongside five specific dimensions: Psychic powers, Superstition, Supernatural beings, Material divination, and Traditional religious beliefs (CFI = .93, TLI = .93, RMSEA = .045, SRMR = .075). Hierarchical regressions revealed that psychological variables, particularly psychosis proneness and experiential thinking, accounted for substantial incremental variance beyond socio-political factors (ΔR-squared ranged from 7.9% to 31.1%), among which spirituality emerged as the strongest predictor. However, distinct predictor profiles for individual dimensions also emerged, further illuminated by canonical correlation analysis. The debated status of traditional religious beliefs within the paranormal domain is also discussed. Limitations include the homogeneous undergraduate sample and several culturally specific items, highlighting the need for cross-cultural validation.