BookTalk.org

File this under "huh!"

"A recent study of over a thousand Austrian men and women found that a correlation between the digit ration and supernatural belief. Martin Voracek, a psychologist at the University of Vienna, found that the ratio of length of the ring finger to the index finger predicted belief. Voracek found that “higher feminized” digit ratio in men correlated with stronger paranormal and superstitious beliefs, even when controlled for age, education, adult height and weight, and birth length and weight.

Check out Bruce Hood's blog brucemhood.wordpress.com/2009/12/11/woo ... -the-womb/.

Consistent with this study, my ring finger is longer than my index finger by a good half inch.

Interesting but absolutley bizarre! Leave it to the Austrians (be aware when reading this statement that there is traditional competition between Austrians and Germans, much like between the South and the North of the US) .

oblivion wrote:Interesting but absolutley bizarre! Leave it to the Austrians (be aware when reading this statement that there is traditional competition between Austrians and Germans, much like between the South and the North of the US) .

It is bizarre. I wonder if the tendency to be less superstitious in males (or tendency to be more superstitious in females) is somewhat culture-driven. A macho man is taught not to believe in the supernatural, but a "girly" man (use Austrian accent a la Saturday Night Live) may be more resistant to such cultural pressures?

I personally think that levels of independence have a lot to do with accepting supernatural beliefs, god and all of that... after all if you are capable of doing for yourself... even adapting yourself to become better than you were and succeeding at all that you strive for... where is the need to wish or prey for someone else to do it for you?

Later

Frank 013 wrote:I personally think that levels of independence have a lot to do with accepting supernatural beliefs, god and all of that... after all if you are capable of doing for yourself... even adapting yourself to become better than you were and succeeding at all that you strive for... where is the need to wish or prey for someone else to do it for you?

Later

Hello Frank,

I think this is definitely true. Internal locus of control versus external locus of control. But the human brain also has the ability to "believe" contradicting things at the same time. I could name baseball players who work their butts off, training, working out, etc. and becoming successful through their own hard work. They would seem to have a very internal locus of control, but when questioned would say it's god making it all happen. This is probably an unexamined belief and instinctively they know their success hinges on their own hard work.

Definitely weird. But, can't enviromental influence be a stronger indicator. Would be interesting to do this as a twin study; separated at birth into very different religious/non-religious households.

geo wrote:
Consistent with this study, my ring finger is longer than my index finger by a good half inch.

Hmmm...my ring finger is only slightly shorter than my index finger (on my right hand; on the left, they're almost equal). And my "beliefs" are scattered, inconsistent, and unreliable, at best. I guess that would make sense, though.

ktsetsi wrote:

geo wrote:
Consistent with this study, my ring finger is longer than my index finger by a good half inch.

Hmmm...my ring finger is only slightly shorter than my index finger (on my right hand; on the left, they're almost equal). And my "beliefs" are scattered, inconsistent, and unreliable, at best. I guess that would make sense, though.

The ratio between my ring and index fingers is shorter on my left than my right too. I guess this means the right side of my body is less superstitious than my left.

Hi Frank- My guess is that those that lean on supernatural belief probably need it for deeper existential issues, even if they are reasonably competent in day to day life.

Anyway, I think we should certainly hold up our index fingers for those that engage in junk science!