Men may gamble more money after a positive fortunetelling

[Byrd]

Full article title: "Men may gamble more money after a positive fortunetelling -- even when they don't believe it."

Heck of a title, right?  (Here's the article: https://www.nbcnews.com/science/weird-sc...-rcna46549  -- and here's the paper in question: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/articl...ne.0273233)  

So what they're claiming is that if you put a fortuneteller in a casino and offered free fortunes, men would be more likely to gamble more money after you give them a positive reading.  If they actually believed in fortunetelling they would gamble even more money (probably no surprise there.)

Women, on the other hand, seem to be unaffected (as far as gambling goes) by fortunetelling.  The sample size was 266 people; so a relatively small sample, though adequate for an initial investigation.  At this point it's hard to tell how culturally bound this is.  In China, there's certainly a bias for some numbers (eight is very lucky, four is very unlucky).

However, as the original paper says, there may actually be some benefits from superstition, particularly when things are tough.   

An interesting quote: He also noted that fortunetelling is somewhat different than some other types of superstition because it occurs before the event it supposedly foretells — the gambling, in this case — whereas other superstitions are often applied at the same time as the events they supposedly influence, like throwing spilled salt over your shoulder.

I tend to analyze (over-analyze, sometimes, as I'm sure nobody here would be surprised to find out) situations and get uncomfortable when I have to do a "best guess" type of response, particularly if the results involve loads of money (which is why I dithered for years about getting solar for the house.)  But when I get into one of "those" moods or get stuck with something, I do admit to pulling out a few charms to see if I can boost my brain into being more productive.

Do you ever make use of superstitions?

[argentus]

I absolutely revere certain superstitions, particularly those which surround certain numbers.  I love the number nine for several reasons.   If I encounter it in my day-to-day life, I consider that a favorable omen, and will likely change the course of my bearing.  
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Me, being a hardline researcher, am not very susceptible to prognosticators of any ilk.  I don't think I'd pay even a first look at a numerologist at at casino.    I admit to believing in certain aspects of fortunetelling, in the manner of people who are genuine clairvoyants.    I have known a person who I believed was a true clairvoyant.   She didn't think that she was always on the money, and often would say that she didn't "feel the pull" of whatever it was that hooked her into the zone.   Still, she was remarkably accurate when she WAS in the zone.   

I think those skills live in all of us to varying degrees.   I think we can increase our skills if we focus upon them, much as we can increase the strength and size of a muscle.   I also believe that the human mind is barely tapped, and is capable of incredible things.   I think historic healers were born better than us at these skills.   

Of course, I could be completely full of crap.   These are my beliefs.  ;o)

[Halfswede]

I absolutely revere certain superstitions, particularly those which surround certain numbers.  I love the number nine for several reasons.   If I encounter it in my day-to-day life, I consider that a favorable omen, and will likely change the course of my bearing.  
+
Me, being a hardline researcher, am not very susceptible to prognosticators of any ilk.  I don't think I'd pay even a first look at a numerologist at at casino.    I admit to believing in certain aspects of fortunetelling, in the manner of people who are genuine clairvoyants.    I have known a person who I believed was a true clairvoyant.   She didn't think that she was always on the money, and often would say that she didn't "feel the pull" of whatever it was that hooked her into the zone.   Still, she was remarkably accurate when she WAS in the zone.   

I think those skills live in all of us to varying degrees.   I think we can increase our skills if we focus upon them, much as we can increase the strength and size of a muscle.   I also believe that the human mind is barely tapped, and is capable of incredible things.   I think historic healers were born better than us at these skills.   

Of course, I could be completely full of crap.   These are my beliefs.  ;o)

You are largely correct IMO.  There are definitely inborn things, and many well-known ancient Chinese doctors were documented to be able to see inside the body, etc.  While a lot of people don't want to acknowledge certain things, there is a very strong dependency on the moral/spiritual civilization for those things to occur more widely.  You will never get those things by driven pursuit.

If the overall environment changes, more of these things will appear. Until then, they are sparse, kept hidden, and only functional at an acceptable level in accordance with the level of "cleanliness" of society.

As to the OP, I do find it interesting that women were basically unaffected.  It would be interesting to see what man/woman gambling habits are in general. It may be something altogether unrelated -- or maybe it is. I am also suspect about how you determine whether someone "believed" or not.  I am thinking men would be more hesitant to say they did, though you would need another survey to get that info.