Superstitions: on the Decline

Home , Friday the 13th, Knocking on wood, Penny

The Harris Poll

THE HARRIS POLL 1993 #2 1 For release: Monday. May 3, 1993

SUPERWITIONS: ON THE DECLINE

by Humphrey Taylor

Webster's defines superstition as "any belief or attitude that is inconsistent with the known laws of science or with what is generally considered in the particular society as true and rational: especially, such a belief in charms, omens, the supernatural, etc. " A Harris Poll, conducted March 4 to 10 among a nationwide cross section of 1,255 adults, found that substantial majorities of Americans claim they are not superstitious.

However, there are substantial numbers of Americans who admit they believe in certain superstitions; 38 percent believes "finding and picking up a penny is good luck," and 24 percent believes that "Seven is a lucky number." Far fewer people, less than one-fifth of the public, believe in nine other superstitions: "For the groom to see the bride before the wedding is bad luck," 18 percent; "Knocking on wood prevents bad luck," 16 L percent; "It's unlucky to walk under a ladder, " 14 percent; "Friday the 13th is an unlucky day," 13 percent; "Thirteen is an unlucky number," 12 percent; "Breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck," 8 percent; "Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder prevents bad luck," 7 percent; "Stepping on a crack is bad luck," 2 percent.

In general, women are more apt to be superstitious than men: 44 percent of women over 32 percent of men pick up a penny for good luck, 23 to 12 percent believes seeing the bride before the wedding is bad luck, and 21 to 12 percent say they knock on wood to prevent bad luck.

Americans in lower-income brackets, especially those with household incomes of $7,500 or less, young adults aged 18-24 and those with less than a high school education, also tend to be more superstitious. Among these groups, "picking up a penny for good luck" is again the most popular superstition.

In this high-tech era, when we live surrounded by products of science and technology, most people are not very superstitious - or are not willing to admit it, if they are.

Humphrey Taylor is President and CEO of Louis Harris and Associates, Inc. b Louis Harris & Associates 630 Fifth Avenue NYC BELIEF IN 11 SUPERSTITIONS

Do you believe (read each one of the following), or not?

Male White -O/o -O/o Finding and picking 32 39 up a penny is good luck Seven is a lucky 2 1 24 number For the groom to see 12 18 the bride before the wedding is bad luck Knocking on wood 12 17 prevents bad luck It's unlucky to walk 11 13 under a ladder Friday the 13th is an 11 13 unlucky day 13 is an unlucky 10 12 number A black cat crossing 10 12 your path is bad luck Breaking a mirror 6 7 brings seven years bad luck Throwing spilt salt 4 7 over the left shoulder prevents bad luck Stepping on a crack 1 2 is bad luck BELIEF IN 1 1 SUPERS-TITIONS (cont.)

Household Income $SO,OO1 and over -To Finding and picking 38 up a penny is good luck Seven is a lucky 21 number For the groom to see 13 the bride before the wedding is bad luck Knocking on wood prevents bad luck It's unlucky to walk under a ladder Friday the 13th is an ~~nluckyday 73is an unlucky number A black cat crossing your path is bad luck Breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder prevents bad luck Stepping on a crack is bad luck BELIEF IN 11 SUPERSTIIIONS (cont.)

Finding and picking up a penny is good luck Seven is a lucky n urn ber For the groom to see the bride before the wedding is bad luck Knocking on wood prevents bad luck It's unlucky to walk under a ladder Friday the 13th is an unlucky day 13 is an unlucky number A black cat crossing your path is bad luck Breaking a mirror brings seven years bad luck Throwing spilt salt over the left shoulder prevents bad luck Stepping on a crack is bad luck

* = less than 0.5% METHODOLOGY he This Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States between March 4 - 10, 1993, among a nationwide cross section of 1,255 adults. Figures for age, sex, race and education were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with a sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of plus or minus 3 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is difficult or impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors.

This statement conforms to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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Contact Louis Harris and Associates, Inc., Information Services, 630 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10111, (212) 698-9697, for complete demographic details for the questions in this release.