Development and Validation of the Purity Orientation-Pollution Avoidance Scale: A Study With Japanese Sample.

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Cultural Psychology
• Moral Psychology

Background:

• The Moral Foundations Theory (MFT) includes a purity foundation, often linked to Western/Christian beliefs.
• Cultural variations in the purity foundation are under-explored, particularly in non-Western contexts like Japan.
• Understanding Japanese perspectives on purity and pollution is crucial for cross-cultural MFT research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a scale measuring purity orientation and pollution avoidance (POPA) in a Japanese sample.
• To adapt the MFT's purity/sanctity subscale for a Japanese cultural context.
• To explore the relationship between POPA, disgust, animism, and paranormal beliefs.

Main Methods:

• Scale development for POPA based on MFT purity/sanctity subscale.
• Study 1: Factor analysis of POPA, assessing correlations with disgust and animism.
• Study 2: Assessing POPA test-retest reliability, attitudes toward paranormal phenomena, and moral foundation concerns.

Main Results:

• Four distinct factors were identified within the POPA scale.
• The POPA scale showed moderate correlations with other measures, supporting its validity.
• POPA demonstrated reliability and validity in the Japanese cultural context.

Conclusions:

• The Purity Orientation-Pollution Avoidance (POPA) scale is a valid tool for assessing purity-related moral judgments in Japan.
• POPA can enhance understanding of the purity foundation within Japanese cultural frameworks.
• This research contributes to cross-cultural MFT research by providing a culturally adapted measure.