Are the scope and nature of psychology properly understood? An examination of belief in myths of popular psychology among university students

This study developed the Belief in Myths of Psychology Scale (BiMPS), a 50-item measure that consists of psychological myths and examined its psychometric properties in three studies. In Study 1, 774 students from Austria completed the BiMPS along with measures of superstitious beliefs, the Big Five personality factors, and interest in science. Results showed that an overall score computed from all 50 myths showed good internal consistency and facets of validity. In a sample of British university students, Study 2 showed that altering the anchoring of some items did not alter responses to the BiMPS. Finally, the results of Study 3 showed that enrolment on an introductory psychology module reduced belief in myths of psychology among a British university sample.