Validity
Convergent/Concurrent
The average score on the NAOS in a group of New Age believers was significantly higher than that in the ado-
lescent control sample ( p,0.00001). The NAOS also correlated positively (0.25) with emotionally-based religiosity
(turning to and maintaining contact with God and religion) ( Granqvist & Hagekull, 2001 ).
Divergent/Discriminant
Weak relationships were found between the NAOS and adult attachment dimensions ( 20.04/C00.10) ( Granqvist &
Hagekull, 2001 ).
Construct/Factor Analytic
Exploratory factor analysis based on the intercorrelations of a pool of 32 items produced five factors. As one
factor loaded on 22 items and accounted for 73% of the variance, this was chosen for the single-factor NAOS scale
(Granqvist & Hagekull, 2001 ).
Criterion/Predictive
The NAOS scale scores positively predicted emotionally-based religiosity ( r50.25) and (inversely) predicted
socialization-based religiosity ( r520.19) ( Granqvist & Hagekull, 2001 ).
Location
Granqvist, P., &Hagekull, B .(2001). Seeking security in the new age: On attachment and emotional compensa-
tion. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 40(3) , 527/C0545.
Results and Comments
Among New Agers, scores on the NAOS were related to greater ambivalence in maternal attachment, less
security in paternal attachment, and there was a trend toward a positive relationship with dismissing avoidance
in adult attachment. The New Age religious movement is growing in the United States, especially on the West
Coast, and to our knowledge, this is the only measure of religious beliefs and practices in this tradition.
NAOS SAMPLE ITEMS
1.I am convinced that thought transference and/or the
ability to move things by mere thinking actually do
work.
2.I’ve read some of the new, ‘alternative’ books that
deal with how to teach spiritual or personal
development (e.g., The Celestine Prophecy, A Course in
Miracles, The Sacred Self, Out on a Limb ).
3.The position of the stars at birth affects how one will
live one’s life or how one’s personality will develop.
4.I think that we are now approaching an entirely new
age, that will radically change our view of science,
spiritual knowledge, or the true nature of man.5.To reach one’s personal, spiritual insight, every
individual should combine or mix the truths that are
hidden within different old traditions (e.g.,
Shamanism, the religions of the native people,
astrology, Eastern wisdom, Kabbala).
Notes : Reproduced with permission.
The full NAOS scale is included in the original arti-
cle, but permission must be sought from the author
to use the measure (contact Berit Hagekull at berit.
hagekull@psyk.uu.se ).
FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
The choice of which measure to use in research studies depends on: (1) the research question, (2) the religion of
the sample being studied, and (3) the length of the overall questionnaire. For predominantly Christian populations
(and to some extent, Muslim and Jewish samples), the Hoge intrinsic religiosity scale ( Hill & Hood, 1999 ,
pp. 35/C037) is recommended. This scale is a measure of religious commitment that assesses the primary motivation
for religious involvement, there is extensive experience with this scale, and the scale has been validated in at least
two studies of ministers. If questionnaire space is limited, then the Duke University Religion Index (DUREL)557 FUTURE RESEARCH DIRECTIONS
V. VICES AND VIRTUES