# Are women overall likelier to believe psychics, fortune-telling, prophets/prophetesses etc. than men, and if so, why? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 12, 2023, 9:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090 "2023-01-12T09:48:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/21 "2023-01-12T19:11:12Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > This seems to go back a long way. Our “witchcraft” stereotypes mostly involve women, and those stereotypes go back through centuries of western culture. Witches are women. ‘Gypsy’ fortunetellers are women. Go back further - the Oracle of Delphi was a woman. The Norns were women. Women have always had secret medicines and mysteries that only they need or appreciate. > > So that niche of “women do occult stuff” was already carved out, and it didn’t go away just because society modernized and stopped having kneejerk “burn them at the stake!” reactions to overt claims of magic. Are women more drawn to these things because Abrahamic religions are so patriarchal? If so perhaps women are looking for beliefs outside of what has been written by, taught by and manipulated by men. @am77494 is Hinduism less patriarchal? I see that it is structured around Gods and Goddesses. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/779978/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats2)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/22 "2023-01-12T22:55:48Z")
I’m thinking that there is less stigma against believing occult woo for women than there is for men. Men are conditioned to be stoic and self-reliant. Trying to go looking for answers for emotional problems in magical solutions is perceived as weak-minded in men. Also, as many women feel powerless against the rampant misogyny in society, turning to occultism/pagan belief systems makes a lot of women feel in control of their destinies in a way that society discourages for women. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2023, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/23 "2023-01-12T23:29:08Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > I’ve noticed that the vast majority of the clientele of palm-readers, fortune-tellers, psychics, soothsayers, prophets and prophetesses, etc. tend to be women. **Although you may be right, I am wondering how you noticed this.** I know more women than men who have wanted to discuss The Secret, mentioned their sign or expressed a belief “there must be something more”. But I can’t say I have vetted clientele lists, know many soothsayers or even who reads the dodgier sections of newspapers if today is their birthday. The amount of woo people of any gender believe is pretty large. I’m not sure that _I’m_ important enough that the light from distant constellations, travelling for hundreds or thousands of years or more, affect too many of my decisions - probably just the important ones. But so much of what is taken for solid truth has its hollow elements. Which does not mean one can’t play _Science Says_. Science Says vaccines often save lives. Also, injecting bleach might help with Cov - WAIT! I didn’t say Scuence Says!! ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2023, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/24 "2023-01-13T22:53:26Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > @am77494 is Hinduism less patriarchal? I see that it is structured around Gods and Goddesses. In northeast India, there is a state high in the mountains called Meghalaya or the abode of clouds. Himalaya is Abode of Snow Meghalaya has the world’s last surviving matrilineal indigenous society : [Khasis: India's indigenous matrilineal society](https://www.bbc.com/travel/article/20210328-why-some-indians-want-more-mens-rights) Alas, it stops there. I am not a sociologist and to my limited knowledge, Hinduism is just as Patriarchal as western societies. In some regions of India, there is a lot more of Patriarchy than the west and in some regions it is less but overall it is the same. Again - this is a layman’s understanding ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/25 "2023-01-14T00:14:25Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Men believe in their own stupid s\*\*\*, like free market economics, and the value of the 2nd amendment. This. Men believe stupid things, but we seem to need to wrap them in pseudo logic and bravado. Women are content to just wave their hands. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/26 "2023-01-14T00:20:43Z")
In a place like India, chances are there are a lot of social and cultural issues at play as well when it comes to gambling. I have definitely heard of Indian companies paying their women in scrip instead of cash, because they knew that if her male relatives (husband, brother, father, sons, etc.) found that money, they would drink or gamble it away, and there would be nothing she could do about it if she didn’t want a no-consequences beating or worse. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/27 "2023-01-14T00:29:41Z")
I think it might have to do with empathy. The act of going to see a psychic requires emotional vulnerability. Someone’s regular psychic usually knows all about their problems and their job is to make the client feel supported. It’s basically therapy. A therapy where you have to be vulnerable and admit you need direction in life. And keep coming back to that same person over and over to be more vulnerable and get more help. I can see why men would not be drawn to that. Anecdotally, I know a lot of gay men who are into astrology. In fact I learned about astrology from a gay man. This reinforces my theory because I don’t think gay men adhere as frequently to taboos against male emotional vulnerability. Such men are also less likely to shame women for their intuitive impulses. Generalizing, generalizing. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/28 "2023-01-14T00:34:51Z")
> [@nearwildheaven](#): > > In a place like India, chances are there are a lot of social and cultural issues at play as well when it comes to gambling. The gambling statistics are for the USA, not India. I was comparing the propensity to believe in something woo like astrological lucky gem stones, to believing in woo with gambling. ---
**Author:** ![am77494](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d2c977/32.png) [@am77494](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/am77494)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/29 "2023-01-14T00:36:49Z")
> [@Spice\_Weasel](#): > > A therapy where you have to be vulnerable and admit you need direction in life. And keep coming back to that same person over and over to be more vulnerable and get more help. For a moment I thought you were describing organized religion and priests. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/30 "2023-01-14T00:39:45Z")
Youre a Cancer, right? ---
**Author:** ![Mortimus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Mortimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mortimus)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/31 "2023-01-14T00:45:26Z")
I used to read my daily horoscope in the newspaper and then online when newspapers went away. I read it at the end of the day to compare how my actual day was compared to what was forecasted for that day. It was usually amusing in an Alanis Morissette ironic way. ---
**Author:** ![FlikTheBlue](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fliktheblue/32/10972_2.png) [@FlikTheBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FlikTheBlue)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/32 "2023-01-14T04:24:55Z")
> [@Two\_Many\_Cats2](#): > > I’m thinking that there is less stigma against believing occult woo for women than there is for men. Men are conditioned to be stoic and self-reliant. Trying to go looking for answers for emotional problems in magical solutions is perceived as weak-minded in men. IMHO the key is who the woo is coming from. To the extent there is a difference, I think it’s that (some) men prefer to believe their own bullshit rather than looking for someone else’s to believe, while (some) women have no problems with believing bullshit that comes from other people. It’s no different than the husband who tells his wife “I’m not gonna call a plumber, I’ll fix that leaky pipe myself” even though the extent of his knowledge of plumbing is a YouTube video he just watched, and the wife who tells him “where did you learn how to fix leaking pipes, it’s better to leave that to a professional.” Only with metaphysical woo instead of car repair or plumbing. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/33 "2023-01-14T04:48:53Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > More women do seem to be really into Astrology. I wonder if research has been done on why The two people I know who claim to be “professional astrologers” are both men. Also the “Empath”. In general I think of women as seeming more susceptible to believing in woo like this but I don’t know if it’s true at all. I think it has more to do with education levels and subjects. ---
**Author:** ![Loggins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Loggins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loggins)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/34 "2023-01-14T16:46:38Z")
I have an undocumented anecdotal feeling that men are more likely to beleive in UFOs, Ancient Aliens, Bigfoot and perhaps Cryptozoology in general. Has anyone done any research into this i wonder? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/35 "2023-01-14T19:14:30Z")
While we’re making mostly unfounded guesses about men vs. women & beliefs in silly things, what about Conspiracy Theories & all that BS? More men, more women, or about the same? I vote (aka total WAG) it’s more men than women, but not by a huge margin. Kinda like MAGAts: more men than women, but still plenty of women. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/36 "2023-01-14T19:41:14Z")
> [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > Witches are women. ‘Gypsy’ fortunetellers are women. Go back further - the Oracle of Delphi was a woman. The Norns were women. Women have always had secret medicines and mysteries that only they need or appreciate. Maybe so, but Rasputin was a man, Aleister Crowley was a man, L. Ron Hubbard was a man…an unbelievable number of men - including really smart men, look up Jack Parsons sometime - threw themselves into _ridiculous_ “mystical” lunacy. And that’s what I believe it is - it’s lunacy, and it’s cringe as hell. All that 19th and early 20th century occult nonsense, including that which was tied up with fascist movements, has a distinctly masculine character to me, but as far as I’m concerned it fits the same general pattern as the more feminine type of superstition (fortune telling, tarot cards, psychics)…I think men and women are equally supsceptible to it. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/37 "2023-01-14T19:48:13Z")
In the case of L. Ron Hubbard, though, he was a charlatan who likely believed none of what he promoted. The rest of your post stands, though. ---
**Author:** ![Lamoral](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lamoral/32/16078_2.png) [@Lamoral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamoral)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/38 "2023-01-14T19:49:24Z")
That might be true, but he had and still has a lot of male followers. Whether there are more men in Scientology than women, I don’t know, but it seems to have universal appeal. Unfortunately. ---
**Author:** ![JWT\_Kottekoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3ec8ea/32.png) [@JWT\_Kottekoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JWT_Kottekoe)\ **Post date:** [January 15, 2023, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/39 "2023-01-15T00:55:36Z")
The [Fox sisters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fox_sisters) played an important role in the creation of spiritualism. In later years they admitted that it was a hoax. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2023, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090/40 "2023-01-16T20:06:21Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > This is a good example of confirmation bias Disagree. Many more women’s magazines have a horoscope section than men’s, for example. That’s a fact not confirmation. Same for women asking me my sign or explaining my behavior due to my sign. Exactly zero men have asked me my sign - again fact, not confirmation., [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-women-overall-likelier-to-believe-psychics-fortune-telling-prophets-prophetesses-etc-than-men-and-if-so-why/978090.md?page=3)