Open AccessThree-factor structure for Epistemic Belief Inventory: A cross-validation study
Author(s) -
Francisco Leal-Soto,
Rodrigo Ferrer-Urbina
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0173295
Subject(s) - replicate , exploratory factor analysis , confirmatory factor analysis , reliability (semiconductor) , psychology , epistemology , psychometrics , social psychology , computer science , structural equation modeling , philosophy , statistics , mathematics , clinical psychology , machine learning , physics , power (physics) , quantum mechanics
Research on epistemic beliefs has been hampered by lack of validated models and measurement instruments. The most widely used instrument is the Epistemological Questionnaire, which has been criticized for validity, and it has been proposed a new instrument based in the Epistemological Questionnaire: the Epistemic Belief Inventory. The Spanish-language version of Epistemic Belief Inventory was applied to 1,785 Chilean high school students. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses in independent subsamples were performed. A three factor structure emerged and was confirmed. Reliability was comparable to other studies, and the factor structure was invariant among randomized subsamples. The structure that was found does not replicate the one proposed originally, but results are interpreted in light of embedded systemic model of epistemological beliefs.