The oneness IAT as a new assessment tool for sustainability research

Oneness is described as a unifying dimension of all existence, reportedly experienced by various demographics as a transcendence of self and connection with the universe. Its relevance in psychology and sustainability science stems from its positive link to pro-environmental lifestyles, emphasizing the need for accurate assessment. Most studies rely solely on self-report methods, despite concerns about their suitability. Scholars suggest implicit measures to access automatically activated mental associations. This study develops and validates a new Implicit Association Test (IAT) designed to analyse response latency to oneness-related words. Guided by two experts and literature in psychoanalysis and environmental psychology, the IAT integrates implicit and explicit measures adapted from previous research. This exploratory study consists of two phases: Study 1 (n = 31) examines the reliability of the selected words, finding significant internal consistency and predicted IAT effects. Study 2 (n = 92) explores the psychometric properties of the same IAT, assessing criterion-related and construct validity. Correlation tests indicate significant positive relationships with prior oneness measures and related variables. A multiple regression analysis identifies significant links between IAT scores and gender, religiousness, and spirituality, corroborating previous findings. Limitations arise due to the binary structure of the IAT, which may constrain its ability to fully capture oneness. Reliance on self-report measures in psychometric properties validation raises concerns about their ability to reflect nonconscious associations. This study contributes to discussions on oneness categorization and assessment by introducing an IAT-based measurement applicable across multiple fields.