Superstitious Beliefs Research Articles

Clinicoepidemiologic profile of leprosy in geriatric population in post-elimination era: A retrospective, hospital-based, cross-sectional study from Eastern India.

Geriatric populations are susceptible to leprosy infection with masked clinical signs due to lower immunity in them. Our aim was to analyze the clinicoepidemiologic profile of patients with geriatric leprosy and find out the reasons for delayed diagnosis and treatment. A retrospective, record-based study was conducted in a tertiary care center from May 2019 to May 2022. The clinicodemographic data of biopsy-confirmed leprosy cases aged ≥60 years were obtained from the leprosy clinic record. Various reasons for the delay in treatment were also recorded. Simple statistics was used for analysis. Out of 605 leprosy cases, 50 (7.4%) cases belonged to the geriatric population. Males outnumbered females (M/F = 37/13). The mean age of the patients was 66.28 + 6.5 years. Maximum patients belonged to 60-69 years of age. The mean duration of illness was 35.22 months (range 1-240 months). Most of the patients were illiterate (33.6%), and 56% were farmers by occupation. The ulnar nerve was the most common nerve to be thickened in 90% (45/50) cases, followed by the common peroneal nerve in 54% (27/50) cases, radical cutaneous nerve in 52% (26/50) cases, and posterior tibial nerve in 24% (12/50) cases. Borderline tuberculoid was the most common type in 44% cases, followed by lepromatous leprosy in 22%, borderline lepromatous leprosy in 18% (9/50), and pure neuritic leprosy in 14%. Type 1 and type 2 lepra reactions were found in 18% and 14% cases, respectively. Also, 38% had grade 2 disability. Common reasons for the delay in treatment were financial constraints, lack of family support, and personal superstitious beliefs. The study was limited by its retrospective nature. Geriatric leprosy needs special attention as the elderly are more prone for deformities; also, because of low immunity, there is a high chance of developing multibacillary leprosy, and therefore, they are potential sources of infection to the community.

Human sacrifice: From religious ritual to legal sentence in Nepal.

Human sacrifice is a gruesome and controversial practice where one or more individuals are killed as part of a religious ceremony or as a gift to a deity. While the practice has been widely condemned globally, it still persists in some communities in some countries. Nepal, in particular, has a history of animal sacrifice with larger offerings taking place every five years. While animal sacrifice is legal, the ultimate punishment for engaging in human sacrifice is a legal sentence. This article examines the historical and cultural context of sacrifice in Nepal and explores some contemporary cases of human sacrifice reported in the media. The article also considers the impact of superstitious beliefs and the need for evidence-based attitudes to support human rights.

Fatalistic Tendency as a Predict of Disaster Preparedness Beliefs in University Students

This study aims to examine whether fatalism tendency is a predictor of disaster preparedness belief in university students. In this study in which correlational research design was used, the data were obtained by convenience sampling method from the students studying at a university and voluntarily participating in the study. Demographic information form, fatalism scale and disaster preparedness belief scale were used as data collection tools. Data were collected through online forms. A total of 212 university students with an average age of 19.92±1.46 years, mostly 169 (79.72%) of whom were female, participated in the study. Pearson correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were used to analyse the data. As a result of the study, fatalism tendencies of the students were found to be moderate and disaster preparedness belief levels were found to be high. When the relationships between the participants' fatalistic tendencies and disaster preparedness beliefs were analysed, a significant negative relationship was found between fatalistic tendency and disaster preparedness beliefs. The results showed that as the perception of personal control weakened and the belief in luck and superstition increased, the belief in disaster preparedness decreased. In addition, regression analysis revealed that the weak perception of personal control and the tendency to believe in luck and superstitious beliefs contributed to the belief in disaster preparedness.

FENG SHUI SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEF: DOES IT INFLUENCE YOUNG GENERATIONS IN HOUSING PURCHASE INTENTION?

Superstition is an indispensable part of every ethnic culture in Malaysia. Each race has its own culture and its own superstitions. This is certainly true in the multicultural landscape of Malaysia. Since superstition is part of daily life, it can even have an impact on the housing property market. This article aims to examine the superstitious beliefs in Feng Shui of the young generation’s intention to buy a house. This study focuses on the young generation with the prime working-aged between 25 and 40 years old in the Klang Valley. This study uses quantitative methods. A total of 2,600 questionnaires were distributed, however, only 97% or 2523 questionnaires are valid to proceed for data analysis. In summary, there is a significant correlation between the influences of superstition beliefs on the willingness of a young one to buy a house. Superstition is affecting the decision-making process of the Chinese community.

The Superstitious Heuristic in Strategic Decision Making

This study focuses on the phenomenon of using superstition as a decision heuristic in strategic decision-making. We introduce the construct of superstitious heuristic, which is defined as a decision shortcut based on superstitious beliefs. The superstitious heuristic is commonly used in strategic decision-making in various cultures and can lead to seemingly puzzling decisions that have strategic consequences for the firm. It is also distinctly different from other major decision heuristics (i.e., heuristics-and-biases, fast-and-frugal heuristics, expert intuition, and simple rules) and can be used over the latter, especially under high uncertainty. Nevertheless, this heuristic type has not yet received much attention in the strategy literature, presumably because its usage in strategic decision-making is less prevalent in Western contexts where most heuristics research takes place. In this study, we initiate an inquiry into this phenomenon through two objectives: (1) introducing the construct of superstitious heuristic with conceptualization and measurement and (2) probing the executive antecedents to the superstitious heuristic. Our study not only brings the superstitious heuristic to the attention of strategy scholars but also lays the conceptual and empirical foundation for advancing strategy research on this heuristic. By delineating the profile of executives who are prone to employing this heuristic in making strategic choices, our study also contributes to upper echelons research on the use of heuristics in strategic decision processes.

Community perceptions on the effectiveness of herbal medicines and factors associated with their use in managing diarrhoea among under-five children in North-eastern Tanzania

BackgroundThe demand for herbal medicines continues to increase globally. However, community perceptions on their effectiveness and factors influencing their use have not been extensively investigated, notably in the Tanga Region, North-eastern Tanzania, where their use in treating various diseases, including paediatric diarrhoea, has flourished. According to studies, Tanga Region has a high prevalence of diarrhoea among under-five children. This study explored community perceptions on the effectiveness of herbal medicines and factors associated with their use in managing diarrhoea among under-five children in North-eastern Tanzania.MethodsA qualitative approach and a narrative design were employed by the present study since they had the potential to reveal unrecognized or unreported research problems. Focus group discussions and in-depth interviews were used to facilitate data collection from June 2022 to February 2023. The methods were chosen since they are the most common sources of qualitative data in health research. Purposive sampling method was used to select 247 participants, which included 171 caretakers, 52 traditional healers, and 24 paediatric health workers. Interviews were conducted until the saturation point was reached. The purposive technique was considered since it was a method that enabled the researcher to select participants who were knowledgeable about the study topic. Data analysis was performed using thematic analysis.ResultsEconomic hardship, culture and heritage, superstitious beliefs, failure to recover after receiving hospital medication, easy accessibility of herbal medicines, and long distance to the health facility were the factors perceived to be potentially associated with persistent use of herbal medicines among caretakers. The majority of participants believed that herbal treatments were harmless and effective in treating diarrhoea.ConclusionSuperstitious beliefs, culture, and heritage were the primary justifications for using herbal medicines. It is vital for the relevant authority to educate the community on the risk of using unproven herbal medicines in order to diminish the effects that may arise from using uninvestigated herbs. As things stand, the use of herbal medications will continue owing to their relevance to the lives of people in the study setting.

Socio-cultural Life of Kashmir During 19th Century A.D

The paper discusses various aspects of the society, including religious narrow-mindedness, superstitions, and the prevailing conditions of ignorance and lack of education during the 19th century A.D. One of the key points highlighted in the paper is the dominance of devout superstitions and mental insolvency among the people of Kashmir during that era. The society was deeply rooted in religious practices and rituals, Hindu engaging in symbol worship and religious ceremonies while Muslims were superstitious. These superstitious beliefs were considered obstacles to the progress of science and education. The lack of education was a significant issue in 19th-century Kashmir. The scarcity of educational opportunities led to widespread ignorance, and this ignorance further propagated the prevalence of superstitions and religious practices.

The influence of superstitions and emotions on villagers' attitudes towards striped hyena in southwestern Iran.

The intensity of human-carnivore conflict in socio-ecological systems may primarily be determined by people's attitudes and perceptions of carnivore-related threats. Direct or indirect threats posed by large carnivores to human interests may eventually lead to negative attitudes that can trigger retaliatory bahaviour against them. We studied local people's attitudes towards striped hyena (Hyaena hyaena), the nature and extent of the human-hyena conflict, and the socio-cultural drivers of the conflicts in 19 rural communities in southwestern Iran. We employed structural equation modelling to assess socio-cultural factors affecting attitudes towards striped hyenas. The findings of 300 interviews showed significant differences in local people's superstitious attitudes regarding gender, age, and education. More than 40% of the participants had encountered hyenas, and on average, each respondent lost 0.44 livestock in the past five years due to hyena attacks. However, livestock depredation by the hyena was low (13.3%) compared to the damage inflicted by all carnivores (73%). While the respondents indicated some degrees of fear, hatred to hyena was relatively low and they generally showed positive attitudes towards the species. Women and older people expressed the highest and respondents with higher education the least superstitious beliefs. Attitude score of respondents toward hyenas was correlated negatively with hatred for hyenas and positively with knowledge about them, but socio-demographics effects on attitudes towards hyenas were not statistically significant. Self-reported livestock loss was a relatively good predictor of hatred and fear. Herders who had not protected their livestock reported carnivore attacks at least once. We conclude that superstitions can potentially negatively affect hyena persistence, but can be reduced by improving the educational level of local people.

Effects of Superstitious Beliefs and Syncretic Practices on Yoruba Muslims: Islamic Teachings as a Way Forward

This study finds out the effects of the various levels of superstitious beliefs and syncretic practices on Yoruba Muslims. It determines the cause and effects of superstitious beliefs and syncretism on spiritual development of Muslims with a view to eradicate the menace among Muslims in Yorubaland. A self-developed questionnaire titled “Superstitious Beliefs and Its Effects on Yoruba Muslims” was adopted and administered on 110 Muslims (Male and Female). Chi-square (x2) was employed to test the hypotheses at P = 0.05; df = 3. The statistics of percentages was also used to describe the situation as implicated by the data. The result showed that all the hypotheses formulated were significant (P<0.05) and thereby concluded that all the four variables were actually affects of superstitious beliefs and that they are impediments to Muslims faith in Yorubaland. Considering the findings, it was recommended that Islamic teachings should be elevated among Yoruba Muslims to understand why they should be effectively involved in the teaching and learning of Islamic studies in Schools to educate Muslims on the negative effects of superstition on their faith (Islam).

The Quest for Identity in a Male-Dominated Society: Representations of Women in Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters

As a woman writer, Manju Kapur discusses women-centric issues in all her novels. The present article focuses on Kapur’s novel Difficult Daughters (London: Faber & Faber, 1998), and specifically the issue of women seeking a space of their own in a male-dominated society. Women in this patriarchal society are not allowed to speak out, protest against injustice, or challenge accepted customs, superstitious beliefs, or rituals. They are merely held captive by the patriarchal system, which demands that women be meek, obedient, and passive, not asserting their rights as women or as human beings. In order to depict this stereotypical pattern of life in India, Kapur creates her female characters to be fighters against taboos, conventional norms, and family constraints forced on them by patriarchal society. Her female characters speak out against male chauvinism to assert their rights. The portrayal of women’s inner lives and delicate relationships has been a prominent focus in recent Indian women’s writing. In contrast to marital bliss and the duty of women in the home, finding one’s identity and dissent are new ideas in this literature. This article tries to highlight these fascinating aspects of Manju Kapur’s Difficult Daughters through an analysis of the female characters in the novel and how the patriarchal system oppresses and stifles them.

GENDER DIFFERENCES: PARANORMAL BELIEFS AND MALADAPTIVE EMOTIONAL SCHEMAS

This study aimed to assess and compare the level of paranormal beliefs and maladaptive emotional schemas between both genders, males and females suffering from Functional Neurological Symptom disorder (FNSD). One hundred thirty-four patients (67 males & 67 females) between 14 years to 24 years having functional neurological symptoms disorder were approached through a purposive sampling strategy from the psychiatric wards of the government and private hospitals in Lahore. The questionnaires of RPBS (Tobacky, 2004) and LESS-II (Leahy, 2002) were applied to assess paranormal beliefs and maladaptive emotional schemas, respectively. The results of the Independent sample t-test show that female patients experience a significantly different paranormal witchcraft beliefs; t (132) = 18.15, p=.000, two-tailed, and superstitions beliefs; t (132) = 33.704, p=.000, two-tailed. The effect of Cohen (d =1.705) is higher and more in females than males. In addition, findings also show the statistically significant gender difference on emotional schemas of invalidation; t (132) = 2.25, p=.026, two-tailed, on a simplistic view of emotions; t (132) = 33.704, p=.000, two-tailed, on low expression; t (132) = 5.716, p=.000, two-tailed and on blame; t (132) = -2.372, p=.019, two-tailed. The effect size of Cohen (d =0.629) is medium, however, more in females than males. This study concluded that female FNSD patients need to be more focused on modifying their paranormal witchcraft and superstitious beliefs and maladaptive emotional schemas of invalidation, simplistic view of emotions, and blaming to control them than males. Therefore, males should be adjusted for the emotion of low expression, which could be done through emotional focus therapy.

Measuring Unipolar Traits With Continuous Response Items: Some Methodological and Substantive Developments

In recent years, some models for binary and graded format responses have been proposed to assess unipolar variables or “quasi-traits.” These studies have mainly focused on clinical variables that have traditionally been treated as bipolar traits. In the present study, we have made a proposal for unipolar traits measured with continuous response items. The proposed log-logistic continuous unipolar model (LL-C) is remarkably simple and is more similar to the original binary formulation than the graded extensions, which is an advantage. Furthermore, considering that irrational, extreme, or polarizing beliefs could be another domain of unipolar variables, we have applied this proposal to an empirical example of superstitious beliefs. The results suggest that, in certain cases, the standard linear model can be a good approximation to the LL-C model in terms of parameter estimation and goodness of fit, but not trait estimates and their accuracy. The results also show the importance of considering the unipolar nature of this kind of trait when predicting criterion variables, since the validity results were clearly different.

Determining the level of superstition belief in pregnancy

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the superstitions of pregnant women.
 Method: This descriptive and correlational study was conducted with 278 pregnant women living in Agri between October 2021 and August 2022.
 Results: It was determined that the total mean score of the pregnant women on the Superstitious Belief Scale was 36.16±13.75. A statistically significant difference was found between the educational status, monthly income, perception of pregnancy and superstition levels of the pregnant women [p<0.05].
 Conclusion: It was found that the total Superstitious Belief Scale scores of the pregnant women were moderate and unplanned pregnancy, income and education level affected the superstition score means.

FEATURES IMPACT IN RELIGION AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT

The science has given a new dimension to man’s life. Following this path man is also trying to give a rational interpretation of religion and sort out of religious beliefs from superstitious beliefs. This rational interpretation of religion gives rise to two important results in the life of man. Firstly, man’s thinking and feelings have become more and more secularized. This means that modern man has opted for a secular world and he is in no need of any religion. Secondly, indifferentism within the religion has entered into the life of almost all the religious men. The result is that man is in his everyday life trying to keep himself aloof from religious truths. My purpose here is to highlight the development of human beings in the light of the above observations. In dealing with Religion and Human Development I have taken into account some recent developments, scientific, rational, secular and religious indifferentism, which have come, into existence due to the dominance of the religious way of thinking. There was a time when only the religious way of thinking was prevalent. But as a reaction against this religious way of thinking, the above said viewpoints have emerged in the context of human development.

WOMEN IN SCHOL LEADERSHIP: A CASE OF COMMUNITY SECONDARY SCHOOLS (CSSs) IN RURAL TANZANIA

This study intended to find out the reasons for women teachers’ under-representation in leadership positions in rural community secondary schools in Tanzania as only 18.7 % of women are heads in 2013 in the country. The first objective was to find out the barriers for women teachers to occupy leadership posts in rural community secondary schools. The second objective was to assess the techniques used by women who are in leadership positions to occupy such posts which could help other women. This is a qualitative case study which consisted of 77 participants (7 women heads, 68 teachers, 1 REO and 1 DEO). The methods of data collection were interviews (with heads of schools, REO and DEO) and focus group discussion with teachers. Data was analysed thematically. The result shows that there are few women in leadership due to lacking support from family to the society level. Furthermore, poor working environments, witchcraft and superstitious beliefs were also observed to scare female teachers away from taking leadership posts in rural areas. Inappropriate procedures for appointing heads of secondary schools also cause women to be few in leadership. This calls for serious affirmative actions like sensitization programmes on gender equality which should be embedded in the education curriculum to make children aware from low level of education about the importance of having women leaders in secondary schools. Also, teamwork is needed to unlock the hegemonic culture that dominates Tanzanian societies.

Superstitious Beliefs Among Healthcare Providers: A Concept Analysis

Evidence-based practice is a problem-solving approach to healthcare delivery that reflects the best current scientific evidence. When healthcare providers face unexpected changes in a patient's condition or uncontrollable situations during care delivery, they may have less confidence or feel fearful / anxious about the care process and result. As people, healthcare providers may hold beliefs regarding the effect of external, supernatural forces on events, which may lead to superstitious beliefs and behaviors. Also, superstitious beliefs may be adopted by healthcare providers as a mechanism to cope with stress, anxiety, and uncertainty in situations where standard medical practices offer no ready solution. Although superstitious beliefs may help ease anxiety and feelings of failure in healthcare providers, this issue and the effects of these beliefs on medical staff behavior have not been adequately studied. The concept analysis strategy of Walker and Avant (2019) was applied in this study to define this concept and to examine (1) healthcare providers' loss of environment control and domination of irrationality in decision making, (2) the lack of objective evidence to explain cause-and-effect relationships in health-related situations, and (3) how unverified true or false claims become a compliance criterion among healthcare providers. Typical, borderline, and contrary cases were used to explain the concept of superstition in medical staff. The antecedents and possible consequences of healthcare providers holding superstitious beliefs were identified and the empirically addressed measurement tools were evaluated. This analysis may be used to improve the understanding of healthcare workers regarding superstitious beliefs. The results are expected to benefit clinical practice, facilitate further research, and enhance healthcare quality.

African Vernacular Symbols of Black Intersex Children in Sinethemba Ngubane's Installations (2007-2016)

African Vernacular Symbols of Black Intersex Children in Sinethemba Ngubane's Installations (2007-2016)

Why buy used? Motivators and barriers for re-commerce luxury fashion

PurposeThe sale of second-hand goods in the luxury fashion space continues to soar. However, existing literature on this segment is limited and the factors that draw consumers to this space are not well understood. This study aims to fill this gap and proposes a conceptual model demonstrating the linkage between the motivators and barriers toward re-commerce in the luxury fashion space and actual shopping behaviors.Design/methodology/approachA survey sample of USA second-hand luxury fashion shoppers was collected. Participants were asked questions about various motivators and barriers toward re-commerce, as well as the participants' attitudes and shopping behavior. The results were analyzed using SmartPLS structural equation modeling (SEM).FindingsEconomic reasons, originality and self-extension were found to be statistically significant motivators of attitudes toward re-commerce, while status consumption, nostalgia and ecological motivators were not. Superstitious beliefs were also found to be statistically significant motivators toward attitudes of re-commerce. Attitudes were also found to be a significant predictor of shopping behavior as measured by dollars spent and shopping frequency.Originality/valueThis study is among the first to propose a conceptual model depicting the relationship between motivators and barriers to actual shopping behavior in the second-hand luxury fashion space. Many of the motivators and barriers examined in this study are novel and have not been considered in prior research. Superstitious beliefs in particular have not been studied in the context of re-commerce.

Traditional Farming and Its Lexicons as Indigenous Knowledge: The Context of Cervantes, Ilocos Sur

The Philippines has long been an agricultural country that uses indigenous farming knowledge before the advent of modern technology. Unfortunately, reviewed studies revealed that many approaches and indigenous rice farming knowledge around the world remain undocumented. In such context, this study was implemented to document the traditional rice farming practices and traditions and their lexicons in Cervantes, Ilocos Sur. Through unstructured interviews and observations, the study identified 13 rice farming practices and nine (9) traditions (three rituals and six pammati or superstitious beliefs) of the farmers. The identified farming practices and traditions emerged from the pre-planting to post-harvest activities of the farmers. Hence, the traditional farming remains strong and is flourishing despite the emergence of modernization in agriculture.

Good Luck or Bad Omen: Attitudes Towards the Slender Loris in the City of Bengaluru, India

Cities are characterised by social and cultural diversity. The management of urban wildlife requires developing a better understanding of cultural beliefs associated with wildlife in diverse urban settings. We document a range of cultural beliefs associated with the slender loris ( Loris lydekkerianus), an endemic, nocturnal primate, in the Indian megacity of Bengaluru. Many residents associate the loris with practices such as black magic, and they believe that the animal’s call is a bad omen that brings death and misfortune. Others consider it a harbinger of good luck that offers protection to young children. These superstitious beliefs may motivate illegal wildlife trafficking of the loris. Urbanisation has led to changes in these perceptions, and many respondents now report that they consider these beliefs to be old-fashioned superstitions that hold no place in a modern city. This study contributes to knowledge on changing urban attitudes to wildlife, which is vital to developing conservation strategies that involve local residents.