Men are more likely to take financial risks when it comes to money than women. For example, if a fortune teller gives a man a positive reading, they are more likely to gamble because they are more superstitious than women.
Men are more superstitious than women in terms of finances
According to three experiments, superstition has a great impact even on men that are non-believers, showing that they are more superstitious than females. According to research published in the journal PLOS One, men are more likely to gamble with their cash when they receive a favorable fortune telling than a negative or neutral one.
The study leader, Xiaoyue Tan of Erasmus University, says that superstitious behavior and beliefs are common worldwide. Although there is limited study on superstitious beliefs, there is growing research in the area.
For instance, researchers indicate that superstition can help fight feelings of uncertainty. Additionally, superstitious practices can improve an individual’s performance during particular jobs since they strengthen confidence. However, the group also points out that although fortune-telling is a common superstition, there isn’t much research on how it affects people’s behavior.
Surprisingly, good reading will have a minimal impact on women. The researchers evaluated 693 subjects, and each received positive, negative, or neutral fortunes about financial success and future lives.
Positive fortune-telling influences behavior
The team says that the study showed that positive fortunes were more likely to influence people’s behavior regarding finances. Moreover, the connection is more profound among males.
Another controlled study revealed that a positive fortune reading tended to gamble with cash in online gambling games. Surprisingly the study didn’t find any significant difference between men and women. However, statistical analysis of the three experiments shows a strong link between fortune-telling and taking financial risks among men.
The study author said that positive fortune-telling resulted in enhanced financial risk-taking in males but not so much in women. Most participants were non-believers, but findings indicate that positive news impacted behavior.