Abstract

Using confirmatory factor analysis, this study sought to confirm the findings from a recent test of 2 competing models of Tobacyk\'s Paranormal Belief Scale (PBS; e.g., J. J. Tobacyk and G. Milford, 1983): the Big Orthogonal Seven and the Oblique Five (T. R. Lawrence et al, 1997). 225 college students (aged 18-50 yrs) were administered the Revised PBS Questionnaire and responses were analyzed. The 1st test of Tobacyk and Milford\'s Big Seven model showed that once again the model provided a very poor fit to the sample data. The 2nd test, an oblique 5-factor model based on statistical criticisms outlined by Lawrence (1995), also showed that the Oblique Five provided a far better fit to the sample correlation matrix, although that model still did not provide an acceptable fit to the sample data. A test of the difference in fit between the 2 models replicated the previous finding by Lawrence et al (1997) that the Oblique Five were a significantly better fit than the Orthogon!al Seven. It is concluded that the evidence for the relative superiority of the "oblique five" factor structure is overwhelming, and future use of the scale should be guided by this 5-factor conception of the PBS, rather than the incumbent 7-factor orthogonal structure.