Assessment, Statistics, and Research

The Adult Attachment Scale or AAS was developed by Professor Nancy Collins at UCSB. The scale was revised in 1996. Attachment theory developed from observations and experiments with children and primates. Many have focused on two dimensions of anxiety and avoidance (or closeness). In the AAS, professor Collins includes a subscale to measure the dependability of a friend. The full scale has 18 items rated on a 1-5 scale ranging from Not at all (1) to very (5) characteristic of me. Following are sample items: 1)          I find it relatively easy to get close to people.                                                      ________ 2)        ...

The Attachment to God Inventory (AGI) developed by Richard Beck and Angie McDonald (2004) consists of 28 items divided into two subscales (14 items each for Avoidant and Anxious Attachment). The AGI is based on attachment theory as applied to the study of the relationship between Christians and God commonly portrayed as a parent-child relationship and referred to in the literature as attachment to God (e.g., Kirkpatrick, 2012).  Avoidant attachment refers to a sense of distance from God. People close to God view God as protective.  Anxious attachment reflects an insecure relationship with God in contrast to a secure relationship. Participants rate each scale item from 1= disagree strongly to 7 = agree strongly . A sample item from the avoidant subscale is, “I prefer not to depend too much on God.” A sample item from the anxious subscale is, “I worry a lot about my relationship with God.” Based on two college and one community samples, Beck and McDonald ...

Giving on a large scale and in a socially responsible manner has been called philanthropy. For obvious reasons, people have studied philanthropy and philanthropists. The Philanthropy Scale is a measure of generosity. Generous givers fund large scale projects like hospitals and disease research. Some give to establish schools and museums. There are many ways wealthy people use their resources to benefit others. Fortunately, generosity is not restricted to the super wealthy. Everyday people give their time and talents to benefit local charities or support an organization known for helping people in need throughout the world. Philanthropy is often studied along with gratitude and compassion . The Philanthropy Scale is a 7-item Likert-type scale. Schuyt, Smit, and Bekkers developed the scale  and presented the results at a 2004 conference in Los Angeles, CA. Each of the 7-items is rated as: 1 = disagree completely, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Neither Agree nor Disagree, 4 = Agre...

compassion                         Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale (SCBCS) The Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale consists of five survey items describing compassion. A group of researchers in the Psychology Department of Santa Clara University identified five statements that reflect compassion. Of course, people may disagree with the idea that five sentences describe the concept, compassion. Nevertheless, the researchers did consider 21 statements and found that a set of five captures most of what people considered to be the essential components of compassion in a 2005 study by other researchers. The short scale is known as the Santa Clara Brief Compassion Scale ( SCBCS;   Hwang, Plante, & Lackey, 2008). It was derived from the longer 21-item Compassionate Love Scale developed by Sprecher and Fehr (2005). Although the scale has been used in Psychology of Religion research, the items do not limit ...

One area of the Psychology of Religion that has been understudied is Pentecostal and Charismatic spirituality. As you might suspect, researchers will define these terms in various ways and, indeed, there are varied beliefs and practices around the world amongst people who identify as Pentecostal or Charismatic. If outsiders know anything about these "people of the Spirit," they may think of people who speak in tongues, which has become a well-known phenomenon that has made its way into novels and movies. An additional phenomenon is divine healing. Belief in miracles has marked the Christian faith since its inception. And many Christians believe in prayer for healing. Nevertheless, there has been an emphasis amongst Pentecostals and Charismatics to believe not only that God heals but also that some people are blessed with a gift of healing. The practice usually involves anointing with olive oil followed by prayer for the sick. In this post, I report on three subsc...