The Noetic Signature Inventory: 12-Factor Confirmatory Analysis

Background The Noetic Signature Inventory (NSI) is a 44-item self-report questionnaire that evaluates people’s experiences of intuition or inner knowing. Previous research developing and validating the measure demonstrated its validity and reliability, and a 12-factor model describing the variability of noetic experiences was found. This current study aims to confirm this factor model in a new population.  Methods In a cross-sectional study, 1,752 participants completed demographic information and the NSI. Confirmatory Factor Analysis was conducted on the collected data.  Results Participants were 49.3  ± 14.8 years old with 16.6 ± 3.4 years of education. They hailed from 62 countries although most were from the United States, United Kingdom and Canada. The CFA results for the 12-factor model were as follows: the chi square statistic equaled 2866.65 with 836 degrees of freedom and p < .001. The model diagnostics demonstrated a very good model fit to the data. All 44 items had factor loadings above the 0.5 cutoff, ranging from 0.58 to 0.77, with an average factor loading of 0.71.  Conclusions The 12-factor structure of the NSI was confirmed, supporting its potential as a valid and reliable tool for assessing noetic characteristics. However, there are limitations to consider, and further research is needed to confirm and extend the findings in diverse populations and settings. The findings contribute to our understanding of the multidimensionality of these phenomena. Future research could build upon these findings by replicating the factor structure of the NSI in other populations, incorporating objective measures, conducting longitudinal studies, exploring underlying mechanisms, and using qualitative research methods to gain a deeper understanding of inner knowing experiences.