| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Description | The Religious Attitude Scale (RAS; Armstrong, Larsen, & Mourer, 1962) measures religious orthodoxy, conservatism, and liberalism. It was designed to explore relationships between religious beliefs and emotional adjustment, self-concept, interests, education, and age. The scale was developed using 16 religious concepts defined and categorized by 12 judges. The resulting 16-item multiple-choice scale differentiates orthodoxy, conservatism, and liberalism on a numerical scale ranging from 153 (most orthodox) to 1 (most liberal). |
| Author | Renate G. Armstrong; Gordon L. Larsen; Stephen A. Mourer |
| Purpose | To assess religious orthodoxy, conservatism, and liberalism. |
| Construct | Religious Conservatism; Religious Liberalism; Religious Orthodoxy |
| Instrument Type | Rating Scale |
| Administration Method | Paper |
| Test Year | 1962 |
| Format | Multiple-choice response format |
| Number of Items | 16 items |
| Test Items Available | No; contact the publisher for details on obtaining the test items. |
| Reliability | Internal consistency: The scale demonstrated a reliability coefficient of 0.98. Test-retest reliability: Coefficients ranged from 0.98 to 0.48, with stability varying by religious group (Catholics being the most stable, Unitarians the least). |
| Validity | Criterion validity: The Mann-Whitney U Test indicated significant z scores when comparing religious groups, showing the scale’s ability to differentiate between orthodoxy, conservatism, and liberalism. |
| Factor Analysis | Not indicated. |
| Classification | Religious and Political Beliefs |
| Age Group | Adulthood (18 years & older) |
| Population Group | Human; Male; Female; Inpatient |
| Population Details | Location: United States; Sample: Psychotic and non-psychotic patients; Religion: Catholics, Protestants, Unitarians |
| Keywords | Religious Attitude Scale; Religious Conservatism; Religious Liberalism; Religious Orthodoxy; Test Development |
| Index Terms | Conservatism; Liberalism; Religious Beliefs; Religious Fundamentalism; Test Construction |
| Reference | Armstrong, R. G., Larsen, G. L., & Mourer, S. A. (1962). Religious attitudes and emotional adjustment. Journal of Psychological Studies, 13(1), 35–47. |
Cite this article
Mohammed looti (2026). Religious Attitude Scale (RAS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Retrieved from https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/religious-attitude-scale-ras/
Mohammed looti. "Religious Attitude Scale (RAS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 4 Apr. 2026, https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/religious-attitude-scale-ras/.
Mohammed looti. "Religious Attitude Scale (RAS)." PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, 2026. https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/religious-attitude-scale-ras/.
Mohammed looti (2026) 'Religious Attitude Scale (RAS)', PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. Available at: https://scales.arabpsychology.com/s/religious-attitude-scale-ras/.
[1] Mohammed looti, "Religious Attitude Scale (RAS)," PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES, vol. X, no. Y, ص Z-Z, April, 2026.
Mohammed looti. Religious Attitude Scale (RAS). PSYCHOLOGICAL SCALES. 2026;vol(issue):pages.