Belief in the paranormal and its relationship to schizophrenia-relevant measures: a confirmatory study

Br J Clin Psychol. 1994 Feb;33(1):78-80. doi: 10.1111/j.2044-8260.1994.tb01097.x.

Abstract

This study was an attempt to confirm previously reported findings that persons who believe in and claim experience of the paranormal tend to score higher on various measures relevant to schizophrenia. Level of belief in the paranormal was measured in a sample of university students. As predicted, those subjects whose scores indicated higher belief in the paranormal tended to score significantly higher on the Magical Ideation Scale, the Perceptual Aberration Scale, and the combined Perceptual Aberration-Magical Ideation (Per-Mag) Scale. However, the correlation with the MMPI's Schizophrenia Scale was significant for males only.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Attitude*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Magic
  • Male
  • Parapsychology*
  • Personality Inventory / statistics & numerical data
  • Psychometrics
  • Reference Values
  • Schizophrenia / classification
  • Schizophrenia / diagnosis*
  • Schizophrenic Psychology*