Individual Differences Research

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Individual Differences Research > Volume 22 (2024) > e22007

Can You Believe It? An Abbreviation of the Magical Ideation Scale

Kaiwei Bai

Abstract

Magical ideation reflects beliefs in implausible forms of causation and is commonly assessed using Eckblad and Chapman’s Magical Ideation Scale (MIS). Although widely used, the 30-item MIS can be burdensome in research requiring brief assessment. The present study developed and evaluated a shortened 7-item version of the MIS in a sample of 188 university students. Seven items meeting a conservative item–total correlation criterion were retained to form the Magic-7. The abbreviated scale demonstrated acceptable internal consistency (α = .77), a unidimensional structure, and strong correspondence with the full MIS (r = .84), sharing over 70% of its variance. Scores were unrelated to age or gender. Results support the Magic-7 as a brief, psychometrically sound measure of magical ideation suitable for stand-alone use. Additional research is needed to confirm its validity. 

RESEARCH ARTICLE

Keywords

Magical ideation;

Schizotypy;

Scale development;

Individual differences;

Belief systems;

Short forms