Risk perception and New Age beliefs

Lennart Sjöberg () and Anders af Wåhlberg
Additional contact information
Lennart Sjöberg: Center for Risk Research, Postal: Stockholm School of Economics, P.O. Box 6501, S-113 83 Stockholm, Sweden, http://www.hhs.se/cfr/
Anders af Wåhlberg: Department of Psychology, Postal: University of Uppsala, P.O. Box 256, S-751 05 Uppsala , Sweden

No 2001:11, SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration from Stockholm School of Economics

Abstract: This is a study of risk perception in relation to New Age (NA) beliefs, including traditional folk superstition and belief in paranormal phenomena, as well as use of alternative healing practices. Data were also obtained on trust dimensions and on personality and psychopathology variables, as well as religious involvement. It was found that four factors accounted for the investigated NA beliefs, and they were termed Higher Consciousness Beliefs, Denial of Analytic Knowledge, Traditional Superstition and Belief in the Physical Reality of the Soul. NA beliefs were strongly and positively related to religious involvement, and negatively to educational level. They were also positively related to maladjustment, and to concerns over Tampering with Nature. In regression analyses, it was found that NA beliefs explained about 15% of the variance of perceived risk, and that the most powerful explanatory factors were Higher Consciousness Beliefs and beliefs in paranormal phenomena. Traditional superstition and use of healing practices did not contribute to explaining perceived risk.

Keywords: New Age; risk perception; trust; psychopathology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 26 pages
Date: 2001-11-26
Note: In press, Risk Analysis
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Published in Risk Analysis, 2002, pages 751-764.

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hhb:hastba:2001_011

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in SSE/EFI Working Paper Series in Business Administration from Stockholm School of Economics The Economic Research Institute, Stockholm School of Economics, P.O. Box 6501, SE 113 83 Stockholm, Sweden. Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Helena Lundin ().