Abstract
Superstition continuous to be present in human consciousness amidst the modernization that has taken place, and continues to take place in the society. This study looked at whether demographic variables such as age, religion, race or color, and marital status have an effect on one’s superstitiousness1. Findings of the study suggest that older age, being a church-goer, single, and Black makes a person more likely to be superstitious.
Introduction
Logic frowns upon superstition, but superstition has a stronghold in the society, as indicated by the pervasive presence of horoscopes in magazines and dailies (Torgler, 2007). Another indication of how pervasive superstition is, even in the modern society is the fact that hotels and other high-rise buildings do not have a thirteenth floor (Scalon et al., 1993). The number 13 is often skipped, such that the actual thirteenth floor is often labeled as the fourteenth. There is also a big market for good luck charms and accessories and talismans.
According to Ankerberg and Weldon (1999), belief in superstition has significantly increased during the past decades. Several surveys not only support this, but also report that the degree of belief, interest and involvement in superstition is high (Gallup and Newport, 1991; Ross and Joshi, 1992 cited in Torgler, 2007).
Literature
Superstition plays a role in the lives of people. In fact, according to the National Science Foundation (2002) and Rice (2003) a big percentage of Americans — more than 40% — believe in such things as devils, ghosts, and spiritual healing (National Science Foundation, 2002; Rice, 2003).
However, there is a dearth of empirical researches about superstition (Torgler, 2007). This may be partly because researchers consider superstition and magical thinking as “an extremely discouraging research topic” (Scheibe & Sarbin, 1965).
Previous studies on superstition have found that religion is an important factor in understanding paranormal beliefs and experiences (MacDonald, 1995; Orenstein, 2002; McKinnon, 2003; Rice, 2003).
Orenstein (2002, p. 303) however, criticizes these studies for being small in terms of sample size and for using student samples. He adds: “on student samples, religious variables have usually been examined without controlling for background characteristics that might show the results too spurious” (Orenstein, 2002, 303 as cited in Torgler, 2002).
A study by Torgler (2007) checked whether a correlation exists between superstition and religious variables. He concluded that there seems to be a “certain concurrence between churches and superstitious beliefs, the correlation between superstition and attendance of church and other religious activities being mostly negative” (Torgler, 2007). The study concludes that the more religious a person, the likelier it is for him to be superstitious.
One of the interesting factors about superstition whether there is a link between variables such as age, color or race, religion and marital status and superstitiousness (degree of belief or adherence to superstition).
To get an insight into this question, this present study compares the following: older respondents versus younger respondents; Black respondent versus White respondents; religious versus non-religious; and in a relationship versus single.
The study will give a glimpse in understanding some of the factors that may be related with belief to or non-belief of superstition.
Method
For this research, 10 people were polled. The respondents were asked to fill up a survey form where they were to indicate their age, their religion (if applicable) their color or race, and whether or not they are in a relationship. In the form, they were to rate their degree of belief to the superstitions listed using the numbers 1 to 5, 1 being the least belief, and 5 the highest degree of belief.
The responses of each person were then tallied, such that their average score of being superstitious was determined.
The mean scores were then tallied according to age, religion, marital status, and color. The mean scores of the whites were compared with that of the black; that of the single against that of those in relationship; that of the Catholics against the non-Catholics, and finally, that of the younger respondents (age 25 and younger) to that of the older respondents (age 26 and older).
Results
The variables considered in the study are age, race or color, marital status, and religious affiliation. The results are as follows.
Age variable
When the respondents were compared according to age, the survey showed that the older ones were more superstitious than the younger ones. The mean score of the older respondents’ degree of superstiousness was 4.36 whereas the younger respondents got a mean score of 2.6.
Table 1. Mean Score of Respondents’ Supertitiousness According to Age
Color or race variable
When the respondents were compared according to color, the survey showed that the Blacks were more superstitious than the Whites. The mean score of the Black respondents’ degree of superstiousness was 4.5 whereas the White respondents got a mean score of 3.06.
Table 2. Mean Score of Respondents’ Supertitiousness According to Color or Race
Marital status variable
When the respondents were compared according to color, the survey showed that the respondents who are single are more superstitious than the respondents who are in a relationship. The mean score of the respondents who are single was 3.76, whereas the respondents who are single got a mean score of 2.8.
In this study, divorced and respondents who were not married and not in a relationship were considered as single.
Table 3. Mean Score of Respondents’ Supertitiousness According to Marital Status
Religiosity variable
When the respondents were compared according to whether they are members of a religious group or not, the survey showed that the church goers were more superstitious than the non-church goers. The mean score of the church goers’ degree of superstiousness was 4.36 whereas the non-church goers got a mean score of 2.15.
Table 4. Mean Score of Respondents’ Supertitiousness According to Religiosity
Discussion
Based from the foregoing results, it appears from the onset people who are Black, single, older, and religious are more superstitious than those who are White, married, younger and non-religious.
The above statement, however, may need to be looked at using a more complex matrix. For this study, suffice it to say that Blacks are more superstitious that Whites, single people are more superstitious that those who are in a relationship; older people are more superstitious that the younger ones, and that the religious ones are more superstitious than those who are not church-goers.
The fourth concluding statement — that religious people are more superstitious than their nonreligious counterparts — supports the findings of Torgler as mentioned in the literature section of the paper. There are some elements in religion that make people more open to the supernatural (faith being based on belief a Supreme Being who himself represents the supernatural) which influences the religious folks to believe in superstition.
Another concluding statement in this study which may be explained is the finding that older people tend to be more religious than the younger ones. It is tempting to explain that this may be because the older the person gets, the more permeable he is to other thoughts and beliefs.
However, the ages of the respondents in the study were too close, the youngest being 20 and the oldest, only 33. For this conclusion to be more valid, the age gap between the two groups should have been wider: at least 20 years. Ideally, the two groups compared should have been teenagers to early twenties for Group A, and 40 years and older for Group B. The age of the respondents then should be noted as one of the limitations of the study.
Moreover, it should also be noted that the present study did not look into whether the association between the variables with superstition is statistically significant. The figures processed were only the mean scores of the respondents.
The study likewise did not look into other variables that may have an affect on one supertitiousness. Variables such as educational level, economic status, gender, and so on which may greatly influence one’s stand on superstition were not looked into. Future studies should also take into consideration these factors.
Also on the issue of variables, it is worth mentioning that while race or color was included in the study, there were only two races involved: Black and White. For the study to be more valid, other races should have been considered, like the Hispanics and the Asians and all the races that used to practice rituals (and may still be practicing now).
Finally, it should also be noted that the research study used very limited sample: only twenty respondents. This very limited number of respondents renders the study insufficient to draw definitive conclusions. As such, it is recommended that larger studies in terms of number of sample or respondents as well as in terms of the number of variables and the sophistication by which the data will be analyzed should be taken to gain a deeper insight into the association between demographics and superstitiousness.
Despite these limitations, however, the study author believes that this study gives us some glimpse on the variables considered in the study, albeit in a limited way.
Note
1Superstitiousness is the level or degree of superstition.
Bibliography
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- National Science Foundation (2002). Science and engineering: Indicators 2002. Science and technology: public attitudes and public understanding. Science Wction and pseudoscience.
- Orenstein, A., 2002. Religion and paranormal belief. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 41, 301–311.
- Rice, T. (2003). Believe it or not: religious and other paranormal beliefs in the United States. Journal for the ScientiWc Study of Religion, 42, 95–106.
- Scalon, T.J., Luben, R.N., Scanlon, F.L., Singleton, N., 1993. Is Friday the 13th Bad for your Health? British Medical Journal 307, 1584–1586.
- Scheibe, K. E., & Sarbin, T. R. (1965). Towards a theoretical conceptualisation of superstition. British Journal for the Philosophy of Science, 16, 143–158.