Religious Fundamentalism Scale – RFS
Measures beliefs associated with religious fundamentalism, orthodoxy, and conservatism, emphasizing dogma and supernaturalism.
Scale Development & Technical Details
Scale Overview
The Religious Fundamentalism Scale – RFS was developed by James G. Martin, Frank R. Westie (1959). It is designed to measure Religious Fundamentalism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 9 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 2 = Strongly Agree, 1 = Agree, 0 = Undecided, -1 = Disagree, -2 = Strongly Disagree.
The scale includes 4 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from -18 to 18. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Fundamentalism / High Unorthodoxy: -18 – -7
- Moderate / Undecided: -6 – 6
- High Fundamentalism / Orthodoxy: 7 – 18
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Not reported.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.