SCRIPTURAL LITERALISM SCALE

Abstract

The Scriptural Literalism Scale (SLS), developed by Hogge and Friedman (1967), is a psychometric instrument designed to measure the extent to which an individual accepts a literal, divinely inspired interpretation of the Bible, contrasting this with a view of Scripture as ordinary, non-divinely inspired literature. Initial construction involved a pool of 30 statements administered to undergraduate students, resulting in a primary 16-item version (SLSc) and two 12-item parallel forms (SLSa and SLSb).

The scale employs a modified 5-point Likert Scale response format for subjects to indicate their degree of agreement or disagreement with statements concerning scriptural authority and accuracy. Subsequent research confirmed its high internal consistency and reliability, making it a valuable, brief tool for religious assessment in academic settings.

Keywords

Scriptural Literalism, Religious Attitudes, Psychometric Scale, Biblical Interpretation, Unidimensionality, Religious Assessment, Hogge and Friedman.

Authors

J. H. Hogge, S. T. Friedman.

Purpose

The primary purpose of the Scriptural Literalism Scale (SLS) is to provide a standardized, quantifiable measure of an individual’s orientation toward religious texts, specifically concerning the degree of literal belief. It aims to distinguish between those who hold that the Scriptures are the precise, inspired word of a deity and those who view them as historical or mythological human writings.

The instrument is designed to be straightforward, easily administered, and scored. Its brevity allows it to be efficiently incorporated into more comprehensive religious assessment batteries, facilitating broader research into the relationship between literal interpretation and other psychological or behavioral variables, as demonstrated by Jennings (1972).

Construct

The scale measures the construct of Scriptural Literalism, which is conceptualized as a unidimensional continuum. This construct assesses the belief that the Bible is literally true and directly inspired by God, rather than being mere ordinary literature.

The items address core aspects of literalism, including the belief that “the precise words spoken by God may be found in the Scriptures,” that “the scriptural account of creation is accurate,” and that “the Scriptures are the ultimate truth.” The unidimensional nature suggests that adherence to these various literal beliefs stems from a single, underlying psychological dimension related to the interpretation of sacred texts.

Validity

The validity of the SLS is supported by both known-groups analysis and evidence of convergent validity with other religious measures.

In the Hogge and Friedman (1967) study, the scale successfully differentiated between religious denominations along expected lines of theological conservatism. Both Baptist and Methodist students scored significantly higher on the scale (indicating greater literalism) compared to Unitarian students. Furthermore, freshmen demonstrated a significantly more literal approach than seniors, and females were significantly more literal than males. These observed between-group differences are consistent with descriptive traits historically associated with conservative versus less conservative views of scripture, bolstering the measure’s construct validity.

Convergent validity (Jennings, 1972) was established through correlations with other established instruments. The SLS was strongly correlated (r = 0.91) with McLean’s (1952) Religious World View Scale. It showed moderate correlation (r = 0.63) with the Cognitive Salience portion of King and Hunt’s (1975) Religious Position Scale, and a moderate correlation (r = 0.35) with the Extrinsic Religious Orientation portion of the same scale.

Reliability

The Scriptural Literalism Scale demonstrates strong internal consistency, indicating a high degree of measurement consistency across its items.

High split-half reliability coefficients were reported in both the Hogge and Friedman (1967) and Jennings (1972) studies, with all values exceeding 0.90. Jennings (1972) further confirmed this consistency by calculating a Spearman-Brown coefficient derived from the split-half method, achieving a value of r = 0.95. These results collectively affirm that the scale reliably measures the intended construct.

Factor Analysis

While the initial report does not detail formal factor analysis results, the scale construction method was highly focused on establishing unidimensionality. The final 16 items were selected based on having the highest correlation with the sum of all other items in the original pool (Hogge & Friedman, 1967).

This stringent item selection process, coupled with the exceptionally high split-half reliability coefficients (all above 0.90), strongly supports the claim that the scale functions as a unidimensional measure, effectively capturing a single, coherent dimension of scriptural literalism.

Instrument

Test Type: Psychometric Self-Report Inventory

Format: Multiple forms exist: 16-item version (SLSc) and two 12-item parallel forms (SLSa and SLSb). Uses a 5-point Likert Scale format, though scoring methods varied between studies (e.g., Hogge & Friedman used a ±1 to ±3 scale; Jennings used a 6-point scale).

Language Available: English (Original)

Population Group: University Students/College Students

Age Group: Late Adolescence through Adulthood.

Population Details: Normative data were established using students from several Texas universities, including 309 University of Texas students, 375 University of Houston students, and 146 Southwestern University students (Hogge & Friedman, 1967). Subsequent samples included 364 students from a metropolitan junior college in Dallas (Jennings, 1972).

Test Methodology: Self-administered questionnaire, typically integrated into a larger attitude or religious assessment survey. Scoring requires attention to reverse-scored items.

Keywords

Religious psychology, Scriptural Interpretation, Religious Beliefs, Quantitative Measurement, ANOVA, Psychometrics, Attitude Scale.

Authors

Author ORCID Identifier: Not specified in source materials.

Affiliation Email addresses: Not specified in source materials.

Correspondence Address: Not specified in source materials.

Permissions & Fee and Test Year

The scale was developed and first published in 1967. Permission requirements and associated fees are not detailed in the source material; researchers should contact the original publishing journal, The Journal of Psychology, or the authors for current usage rights.

Reference’s

• Annis, L. V. (1976). Emergency helping and religious behavior. Psychological Reports, 39, 151-158.
• Hogge, J. H., & Friedman, S. T. (1967). The scriptural literalism scale: A preliminary report. The Journal of Psychology, 66, 275-279.
• Jennings, F. L. (1972). A note on the reliability of several brief scales. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 11, 157-164.
• King, M. B., & Hunt, R. A. (1975). Measuring the religious variable: National replication. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 14, 13-22.
• McLean, M. (1952). Religious world views. Motives, 12, 22-26.

Items of the SCRIPTURAL LITERALISM SCALE

IMPORTANT: The following scale items must be preserved in their original language and must not be changed in any way.

For each of the following statements, circle the choice that best indicates the extent of your agreement or disagreement as it describes your personal experiences:

1 = strongly disagree

4 = agree

2 = moderately disagree

5 = moderately agree

3 = disagree

6 = strongly agree

(R) Means the item is reversed-scored.