Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS)

Abstract

The Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS; Sassenberg et al., 2023) is a trait scale designed to measure imagination by distinguishing between experiential simulation and conceptual innovation. It was developed using items from the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP; Goldberg, 1999), a public domain collection of personality items. Initially, 59 items were selected, and data was collected from three distinct samples. Through factor analysis, the scale was refined to 16 final items, organized into two dimensions: experiential simulation and conceptual innovation. The study also reported on the reliability and validity of the DFIS.

Keywords

Conceptual Innovation; Dual Facet Imagination; Experiential Simulation; Hierarchically-Nested Personality Dimensions; Higher-Order Cognition; Trait Imagination

Authors

Sassenberg, Tyler A.; Condon, David M.; Christensen, Alexander P.; DeYoung, Colin G.

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Purpose

The DFIS is a trait scale of imagination that differentiates between experiential and conceptual forms of imagination. These forms are considered facet-level markers of the Big Five trait Openness/Intellect and its two distinct aspects: Openness and Intellect.

Validity

Discriminant Validity: In both samples, Experiential Simulation showed a stronger association with BFAS Openness than with BFAS Intellect. Conversely, Conceptual Innovation was more strongly associated with BFAS Intellect than with BFAS Openness. This pattern of associations is consistent with the initial theoretical distinction made between the two subscales.

Reliability

Internal Consistency: The internal consistency of the DFIS dimensions was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha and ωt measures of reliability. Both measures consistently reported values above .80 across all samples, indicating good internal consistency.

Factor Analysis

Exploratory Factor Analysis: Initially, 43 of the original 59 items were removed. This removal was due to a lack of significant loadings on the general factor, small loadings on the group factor, or to achieve an equal number of items indexing experiential simulation and conceptual innovation. The Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) specified two group factors. The Root Mean Square Residual (RMSR) value, comparing solutions across samples, was .05, which indicates a good fit between the factor structures observed in different samples.

Instrument

Test Type: Original

Format: Items are rated using a 5-point Likert scale.

Language Available: English

Population Group: Human; Male; Female

Age Group: Childhood (birth-12 yrs); School Age (6-12 yrs); Adulthood (18 yrs & older); Young Adulthood (18-29 yrs); Thirties (30-39 yrs); Middle Age (40-64 yrs); Aged (65 yrs & older); Very Old (85 yrs & older). No data is Available for Adolescence (13-17 yrs).

Population Details:

• Location: United States

• Respondents: University Students; Participants

Test Methodology: Test Validity; Discriminant Validity; Test Reliability; Internal Consistency; Factor Analysis; Exploratory Factor Analysis

Keywords

Conceptual Innovation; Dual Facet Imagination; Experiential Simulation; Hierarchically-Nested Personality Dimensions; Higher-Order Cognition; Trait Imagination

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Authors Including

• Sassenberg, Tyler A.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: University of Minnesota

  • Email Address: [email protected]

• Condon, David M.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: University of Oregon

  • Email Address: No data is Available

• Christensen, Alexander P.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: Vanderbilt University

  • Email Address: No data is Available

• DeYoung, Colin G.

  • Author ORCID Identifier: No data is Available

  • Affiliation: University of Minnesota

  • Email Address: No data is Available

Correspondence Address:
Sassenberg, Tyler A.: University of Minnesota Twin Cities, N616 Elliott Hall, 75 East River Parkway, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, 55455, [email protected]

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

Permissions: Contact Publisher

Commercial: No

Fee: No

Test Year: 2023

References

Sassenberg, T. A., Condon, D. M., Christensen, A. P., & DeYoung, C. G. (2023). Imagination as a facet of openness/intellect: A new scale differentiating experiential simulation and conceptual Innovation. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 583–595. https://doi.org/10.1080/10400419.2023.2177810

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Items of the Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS)

The Dual Facet Imagination Scale (DFIS) is a 16-item measure. The specific items can be found in Table 5, Page 589 of the source article: Sassenberg, T. A., Condon, D. M., Christensen, A. P., & DeYoung, C. G. (2023). Imagination as a facet of openness/intellect: A new scale differentiating experiential simulation and conceptual Innovation. Creativity Research Journal, 35(4), 583–595.

Factors and Subscales: The 16 items are distributed across two factors: Experiential simulation and Conceptual innovation.

The instrument consists of 16 items designed to measure two distinct subscales. The items are presented below.

Note: ES = Experiential Simulation, CI = Conceptual Innovation. It is recommended to administer the items with a 5-point Likert scale ranging from Strongly Disagree to Strongly Agree. Scale scores are computed using item averages. A General Imagination score can be created by averaging the ES and CI scores.