IT ISN'T THAT STRANGE: PARANORMAL BELIEF AND PERSONALITY TRAITS

Abstract

This study examined two contrasting views of paranormal belief which suggest, in one camp, that belief in the paranormal is indicative of psychopathology. On the other hand, a number of researchers have disagreed with this viewpoint, suggesting that such belief is not an indicator of psychopathology, but the fulfillment of some other underlying need. This study was designed to assess the personality traits of those we would consider high and low believers in parapsychology. 105 participants completed the Paranormal Belief Scale (PBS), (Tobacyk & Milford, 1983) the Anomalous Experience Inventory (AEI), (Kumar, Pekala, & Gallagher, 1994) and the Personality Research Form (PRF) (Jackson, 1984) in order to examine the differences among the personality traits of high and low believers in the paranormal. The 2 commonly used measures of paranormal belief were significantly correlated. Likewise, high believers scored significantly higher on the PRF scales of Aggression and Defendence. There were no differences on any of the other personality scales. The results indicate that high and low believers do not differ on the traits that are considered to be nonpathological.