Fear without belief? Personal experience, ontological confusion and anxiety are the distinctive backgrounds of supernatural beliefs and fear

Fear and belief of the supernatural is widespread in the society, and this topic has therefore attracted the interest of numerous researchers. Despite this growing body of research, the factors which increase the openness to supernatural beliefs and fears have rarely been examined simultaneously within a single model. The present study examined the cognitive and personal psychological factors associated with paranormal beliefs and supernatural fears, with a specific focus on fear of ghosts. Building on the theoretical framework proposed by Coelho et al. (2021), the model was extended by including paranormal fear as a distinct outcome variable. A total of 368 adults completed self-report questionnaires assessing paranormal beliefs (R-PBS), fear of ghosts (FGQ), ontological confusion (CKCS), anthropomorphism (IDAQ), intolerance of uncertainty (IUS), perceived anxiety control (ACQ), imaginative fantasy (FQ), and disgust sensitivity (DS-R); and cognitive tasks assessing analytic cognitive style (CRT and BRCT) and field independence (L-EFT). Data were analysed using general linear models and a structural equation model. Results indicated that paranormal beliefs were positively predicted by personal experiences and higher levels of ontological confusion. Fear of ghosts was directly associated with stronger paranormal beliefs and lower perceived anxiety control and indirectly associated with ontological confusion through personal experiences and beliefs. Intolerance of uncertainty contributed to fear indirectly through reduced perceived control. These findings suggest that paranormal belief and supernatural fear are related but partially dissociable processes. Paranormal beliefs may provide a cognitive framework for interpreting ambiguous experiences, thereby increasing vulnerability to supernatural fears.