Description

The Fundamentalism Scale-Revised (FS-R) is a psychometric tool designed to measure religious fundamental beliefs and adherence to traditional religious teachings and practices. This scale was developed to assess the intensity of fundamental religious thinking and attachment to absolute religious truths.

Objective

The primary goal of the FS-R is to provide a reliable and valid means of assessing religious fundamentalism. This tool helps researchers and clinicians understand how fundamental religious beliefs influence individuals’ perceptions, behaviors, values, and their relationship with various psychological and social factors.

Analysis

The FS-R consists of a series of statements that evaluate different aspects of religious fundamentalism. The main dimensions typically examined include:
Belief in Absolute Truth:
Assesses the belief that religious teachings are absolute and unchanging truths.
Example statements: “The scriptures are absolute and should not be questioned.”
Opposition to Modernism:
Assesses opposition to modern values and practices that are considered contrary to traditional religious teachings.
Example statements: “Modern moral values are dangerous and misleading.”
Adherence to Tradition:
Assesses attachment to traditional religious practices and rituals.
Example statements: “The traditions of my religion must be strictly followed.”
Exclusivism:
Assesses the belief that one’s own religion is the only true one and that other religions are wrong.
Example statements: “Only my religion holds the truth.”

Scoring

The scoring of the FS-R is done using Likert scales, where participants rate each statement on a scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Responses are collected and analyzed to generate overall scores for each dimension of religious fundamentalism. Higher scores indicate a greater attachment to fundamental religious beliefs.

Bibliography

Altemeyer, B., & Hunsberger, B. (1992). Authoritarianism, religious fundamentalism, quest, and prejudice. The International Journal for the Psychology of Religion, 2(2), 113-133.
Hill, P. C., & Hood, R. W. Jr. (1999). Measures of Religiosity. Birmingham, AL: Religious Education Press.
Hunsberger, B., & Jackson, L. M. (2005). Religion, meaning, and prejudice. Journal of Social Issues, 61(4), 807-826.
Kirkpatrick, L. A., & Hood, R. W. (1990). Intrinsic-extrinsic religious orientation: The boon or bane of contemporary psychology of religion? Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 29(4), 442-462.