Individual differences in paranormal beliefs: The differential role of personality aspects

Abstract

Personality is among the most studied correlates of belief in the paranormal. There is, however, some inconsistency in their association. The purpose of the present study was to provide a more clear view of how paranormal beliefs are associated with personality by (1) using a psychometrically sound instrument for assessing belief in the paranormal, and (2) investigating the differential role in paranormal beliefs of the two lower-level aspects of each Big Five domain. French citizens completed a modified version of the Revised-Paranormal Belief Scale and the Big Five Aspect Scales. A six-factor model of paranormal beliefs displaying strong psychometric properties was identified. Correlations between personality and paranormal beliefs were stronger at the aspect level than at the domain level. Consistent with our differential prediction hypothesis, the effect of one aspect was not the same as another aspect of the same broad domain of personality on belief in the paranormal. Withdrawal, Openness, Industriousness, and Assertiveness did a good job of predicting belief in the paranormal, while Volatility, Intellect, Orderliness and Enthusiasm were not predictors of such beliefs. Overall, these results emphasize the importance of considering lower levels of the personality hierarchy in attempting to understand paranormal beliefs. Keywords Personality. Big five aspect scales (BFAS). Belief in the paranormal. Confirmatory factor analysis. Path analysis

Who Engages with Supernatural Entities? An Investigation of Personality and Cognitive Style Predictors

“…Comparing our results to previous research, we first observed that the Positive and Negative Agents entities loaded together consistently (e.g., Chauvin & Mullet, 2018; Jong et al, 2013). In the previous research, ghosts/spirits (sometimes assessed as “souls” or the “spiritual realm”) tended to load with the Positive and Negative Agents entities when supernatural entities common to Abrahamic belief systems were assessed (Bluemke et al, 2016; Jong et al, 2013), yet ghosts/spirits tended to split off onto separate factors when supernatural entities outside of Abrahamic belief systems were assessed (Chauvin & Mullet, 2018; Johnston et al, 1994; Jones et al, 1977; Tobacyk & Milford, 1983; Utinans et al, 2015). Consistent with these findings, our study found some overlap between ghosts/spirits with Positive and Negative Agents factors but stronger loadings on the Forces and Spirits factors.…”

“…In all, factor analyses yielded some findings that are consistent with previous structural work, other findings that are novel, and yet others that may help to resolve some inconsistencies across prior studies. As in previous research, powerful agents loaded together (e.g., Chauvin & Mullet, 2018; Jong et al, 2013). To the best of our knowledge, our studies are the first to distinguish these entities from impersonal forces.…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, our studies are the first to distinguish these entities from impersonal forces. In previous studies, entities similar to ghosts/spirits loaded with powerful agents when entities common to Abrahamic traditions were assessed (Bluemke et al, 2016; Jong et al, 2013) but other times loaded on factors separate from powerful agents when entities outside of Abrahamic traditions were assessed (Chauvin & Mullet, 2018; Johnston et al, 1994; Jones et al, 1977; Tobacyk & Milford, 1983; Utinans et al, 2015).…”

“…Fortunately, we were able to draw on earlier studies that included structural analyses of beliefs in various supernatural entities. For example, some early exploratory factor analyses (EFAs) (Johnston et al, 1994; Jones et al, 1977; Tobacyk & Milford, 1983) and more recent confirmatory factor analyses (CFAs) (Chauvin & Mullet, 2018; Utinans et al, 2015) showed that beliefs about r/s supernatural entities (e.g., God, the devil, angels, demons) loaded on separate factors from ghosts and spirits; furthermore, beliefs about these entities were also distinct from beliefs about paranormal phenomena such as psi and witchcraft. CFAs of specifically r/s supernatural entities suggested a general factor reflecting individual differences in the tendency to believe in supernatural positive agents (God, angels), negative agents (the devil, demons), afterlife entities (souls, spirits), afterlife places (heaven, hell), and events (miracles, prophecy), as shown in two samples of undergraduates from New Zealand (Jong et al, 2013) and in independent samples of undergraduates from New Zealand and Croatia (Bluemke et al, 2016).…”

“…Little empirical work has examined whether engagement with individual supernatural entities is predicted by the Big 5. However, a recent study found that a factor reflecting beliefs in ghosts/spirits and reincarnation, as well as a factor reflecting beliefs in God and the devil, related positively to a lower order aspect of openness encompassing fantasy and imagination but not another aspect encompassing intellectual quickness and ingenuity (Chauvin & Mullet, 2018). Another study showed that engagement with ghosts (i.e., beliefs and experiences) related to openness (Langston et al, 2020)…”