Group differences in Internet superstition: Negative relationship with neuroticism

Scientific interest in the relationship between analytical thinking and paranormal beliefs has increased in recent times. However, due to cultural differences, research in this area has been limited to the consideration of paranormal and religious beliefs. Moreover, few studies have explored the relationship between different types of superstitions and analytical thinking. We hypothesized that analytical thinking promotes distrust of Internet superstition which is a kind of superstition conveyed via the internet and a new form of superstition and that individual differences in the tendency to analytically override initially flawed intuitions are associated with decreased Internet superstition. Participants were classified into an Internet superstition group and a control group. We examined the associations between Internet superstition, traditional superstition, neuroticism, and analytical thinking. We found that analytical thinking negatively predicted both Internet and traditional superstition. Participants who were more willing to engage in analytical thinking were less likely to endorse Internet superstition. Further, Internet superstition has negative relationship with neuroticism.