Scale Overview
The Religious Fundamentalism Scale – RF Scale was developed by Bob Altemeyer & Bruce Hunsberger (1992). It is designed to measure Religious Fundamentalism. The scale is intended for use with Adults.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 20 items.
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: -4 = Very strongly disagree, -3 = Strongly disagree, -2 = Moderately disagree, -1 = Slightly disagree, 0 = Exactly and precisely neutral, +1 = Slightly agree, +2 = Moderately agree, +3 = Strongly agree, +4 = Very strongly agree.
The scale includes 10 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are summed to produce a total score.
Total scores range from 20 to 180. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Fundamentalism: 20 – 73
- Moderate Fundamentalism: 74 – 120
- High Fundamentalism: 121 – 180
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of 0.92 – 0.95.
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 10 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.