Dimensions of the mysticism scale: Confirming the three‐factor structure in the United States and Iran
Abstract
In a mostly Christian American sample (N = 1,379), confirmatory factor analysis of Hood’s (1975) Mysticism Scale verified the existence of Stace’s (1960) introvertive and extrovertive dimensions of mystical phenomenology along with a separate interpretation factor. A second study confirmed the presence of these three factors in not only another group of Americans (N = 188), but also in a sample of Iranian Muslims (N = 185). Relationships of the introvertive and extrovertive factors with the interpretation factor were essentially identical across these two cultures, but the Americans displayed a stronger association between the two phenomenology factors. In both samples, the interpretation factor correlated positively with an intrinsic and negatively with an extrinsic religious orientation, and the introvertive factor predicted psychological dysfunction. Associations of the interpretation factor with relative mental health appeared only in the Iranians. These data offered general support for Stace’s phenomenology of mysticism, although the ineffability he linked with interpretation proved to be as much or even more a feature of the introvertive experience, as hypothesized by Hood.
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Research has demonstrated excellent internal consistency for the M-scale as a whole and good internal consistency for its three subscales.
“Research has demonstrated excellent internal consistency for the M-scale as a whole, and good internal consistency for its three subscales (Hood et al., 2001).”
From Assessment of the acute subjective psychedelic experience: A review of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical research on classical psychedelics (2024) · cites this paper as Hood et al., 2001
Factor analysis has shown the M-scale has three distinct factors: introvertive mysticism, extrovertive mysticism, and an interpretive factor.
“Factor analysis has shown three distinct factors: “introvertive mysticism” (experiences primarily related to the internal world of the individual), “extrovertive mysticism” (experiences primarily related to the external world of the individual), and an “interpretive factor” (all items related to awe, divinity, sacrality, and ultimate reality) (Hood et al., 2001).”
From Assessment of the acute subjective psychedelic experience: A review of patient-reported outcome measures in clinical research on classical psychedelics (2024) · cites this paper as Hood et al., 2001
Existing instruments such as the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment, the Mysticism Scale, and indices of self-transcendent emotions provide preliminary tools for capturing both everyday and high-intensity manifestations of self-transcendence.
“Existing instruments such as the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment, the Mysticism Scale, and indices of self-transcendent emotions provide preliminary tools for capturing both every day and high-intensity manifestations of ST (38, 58).”
From The therapeutic role of self-transcendence in moral injury recovery: theory, mechanisms, and clinical implications (2026) · cites this paper as [58]
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“Existing instruments such as the Nondual Awareness Dimensional Assessment, the Mysticism Scale, and indices of self-transcendent emotions provide preliminary tools for capturing both every day and high-intensity manifestations of ST (38, 58).”
- Authors
- Hood, Jr., Ghorbani, N., Watson, P. J., Ghramaleki, A. F., Bing, M. N., Davison, H. K., Morris, R. J., & Williamson, W. P.
- Affiliations
- University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (US)
- Sterling College - Kansas (US)
- Venue
- Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2001-12
- Volume
- 40
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 691-705
- ISSN
- 0021-8294 (ISSN-L)
- 1468-5906
- OpenAlex
- W2051861629
- Cited by
- 225
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 29 · 2022: 11 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 16 · 2014: 13 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 11
- FWCI
- 2.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs
- Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › Philosophy › Study and Philosophy of Religion
- Keywords
- mysticism, ineffability, religious orientation, psychological dysfunction, mental health, cross-cultural comparison, American Christians
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