Revised Paranormal Beliefs Scale – Chinese Version

Description

Superstition originates from primitive natural beliefs. In primitive societies, people could neither understand nor control many natural phenomena such as thunder, wind and rain, dreams, sickness, and death, which led to feelings of fear and confusion. They believed in a supernatural power surrounding them that dominated everything in their lives. Early superstition was an early sprout of human consciousness, resulting from conscious recognition and contemplation of the world under limited objective conditions. As long as humanity cannot achieve omniscience and omnipotence regarding itself, society, the world, and the universe, it is impossible to be free from superstition. Superstition remains prevalent in modern society. The existing superstitious thoughts and behaviors today are the results of historical transmission and differences in understanding.

In the West, early psychological studies defined superstition as seeing phenomena or things without inherent connection as having causal relationships, attributing certain phenomena to mysterious and unpredictable forces. In China, superstition generally refers to feudal superstitions in the context of traditional culture, often regarded as “irrational, unfounded beliefs.” Taiwanese anthropologist Li Yiyuan defined it as “any issue that can be resolved through experiential knowledge and techniques, but is instead sought to be solved through deities or supernatural means.” Luo Huanguo generally interprets superstition as blind belief without discernment of truth and falsehood, referring specifically to beliefs in astrology, divination, feng shui, face reading, and spirits, also broadly implying blind faith and worship, for example, blind faith in authority or books.

Authors and Contact Email

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Purpose

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Test Year

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Administration Method and Scoring

Likert scoring:
1=非常不同意 (1=Strongly Disagree)
2=不同意 (2=Disagree)
3=有点不同意 (3=Somewhat Disagree)
4=不确定/不知道 (4=Uncertain/Don’t know)
5=有点同意 (5=Somewhat Agree)
6=同意 (6=Agree)
7=非常同意 (7=Strongly Agree)

Reliability and Validity

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Factors and Subscales

维度划分 (Dimension Classification):
中国特有迷信 (Chinese Unique Superstitions): 1, 8, 15, 22, 27, 28
(Chinese Unique Superstitions: 1, 8, 15, 22, 27, 28)

精神力量 (Mental Power): 2, 9, 16, 23
(Mental Power: 2, 9, 16, 23)

魔法魔力 (Magic and Sorcery): 3, 10, 17, 24
(Magic and Sorcery: 3, 10, 17, 24)

传统迷信 (Traditional Superstitions): 4, 11, 18
(Traditional Superstitions: 4, 11, 18)

灵魂论 (Soul Theory): 5, 12, 19, 25
(Soul Theory: 5, 12, 19, 25)

不同生命形态 (Different Life Forms): 6, 13, 20
(Different Life Forms: 6, 13, 20)

预知未来 (Predicting the Future): 7, 14, 21, 26
(Predicting the Future: 7, 14, 21, 26)

Keywords

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Items in Chinese

1. 重要的事情,我会选择一个吉日去做。
2. 有些人可以达到“意念提物”的境界。
3. 邪术确实存在。
4. 听到乌鸦的叫声是不祥的预兆。
5. 人的精神或灵魂可以离开人的身体去游荡。
6. 西藏高原上有「雪人」存在。
7. 占星术或占卜是准确预测未来的方法之一。
8. 左眼跳预示要进财,右眼跳预示将要遭灾。
9. 以精神力量移动物体的现象是存在的。
10. 女巫是存在的。
11. 打破镜子将带来厄运。
12. 在睡眠或昏迷时,灵魂可离开身体。
13. 在苏格兰的尼斯湖中有怪物存在。
14. 从星座命盘或术数中可准确知道一个人的未来。
15. 本命年以及一些重要的时候要佩带护身符。
16. 一个人的意念可以影响物体的运动。
17. 使用符咒可以诅咒别人。
18.「13」或「4」是不一样的数字。
19. 有再生或轮回。
20. 在其它星球上有生命存在。
21. 有些通灵的人可以准确的预测未来。
22. 从生辰八字或面相可知一个人的时运。
23. 没有测心术(即不能完全知道他人的想法)。
24. 有真实发生的魔法事件。
25. 可以与死去的人联络。
26. 有些人拥有不能解释的能力可以预测未来。
27. 迷茫的时候我会求签。
28. 梦是将要发生的事情的预兆。

Items in English

1. For important matters, I will choose an auspicious day to do them.
2. Some people can reach the realm of “thought-controlled objects.”
3. Sorcery indeed exists.
4. Hearing a crow’s caw is an ominous omen.
5. A person’s spirit or soul can leave the body to wander.
6. There exists a “snowman” on the Tibetan Plateau.
7. Astrology or divination is one of the accurate methods for predicting the future.
8. A twitch in the left eye signifies incoming wealth, while a twitch in the right eye signifies impending disaster.
9. The phenomenon of moving objects with mental power exists.
10. Witches exist.
11. Breaking a mirror will bring bad luck.
12. In sleep or a coma, the soul can leave the body.
13. There exists a monster in Scotland’s Loch Ness.
14. One can accurately know a person’s future from their astrological chart or divination.
15. During one’s zodiac year and at certain important times, protective talismans should be worn.
16. A person’s thoughts can affect the movement of objects.
17. Using charms can curse others.
18. The numbers “13” or “4” are different.
19. There is reincarnation or rebirth.
20. There exists life on other planets.
21. Some psychics can accurately predict the future.
22. One’s fortune can be known from their birth date and facial features.
23. There is no mind-reading technique (i.e., one cannot fully know others’ thoughts).
24. There have been real magical events.
25. It is possible to communicate with the deceased.
26. Some people possess inexplicable abilities to predict the future.
27. When confused, I will ask for an oracle.
28. Dreams are omens of things that will happen.

References

陈培峰. 迷信与宗教信仰的认知与脑机制探索[D]. 西南大学, 2010.