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Witchcraft Beliefs Around the World: An Exploratory Analysis

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  • Boris Gershman

Abstract

This paper presents a new global dataset on contemporary witchcraft beliefs and investigates their correlates. Witchcraft beliefs cut across socio-demographic groups but are less widespread among the more educated and economically secure. Country-level variation in the prevalence of witchcraft beliefs is systematically linked to a number of cultural, institutional, psychological, and socioeconomic characteristics. Consistent with their hypothesized function of maintaining order and cohesion in the absence of effective governance mechanisms, witchcraft beliefs are more widespread in countries with weak institutions and correlate positively with conformist culture and in-group bias. Among the documented potential costs of witchcraft beliefs are disrupted social relations, high levels of anxiety, pessimistic worldview, lack of entrepreneurial culture and innovative activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Boris Gershman, 2022. "Witchcraft Beliefs Around the World: An Exploratory Analysis," Working Papers 2022-06, American University, Department of Economics.
    • Handle: RePEc:amu:wpaper:2022-06
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Sascha O. Becker & Jared Rubin & Ludger Woessmann, 2024. "Religion and Growth," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 62(3), pages 1094-1142, September.
    2. Sascha O. Becker & Jeanet Sinding Bentzen & Chun Chee Kok, 2025. "Gender and Religion: A Survey," Monash Economics Working Papers 2025-18, Monash University, Department of Economics.
    3. Sascha O. Becker & Amma Panin & Steven Pfaff & Jared Rubin, 2025. "Religion and Economic Development: Past, Present, and Future," CESifo Working Paper Series 11724, CESifo.
    4. Valencia Caicedo, Felipe & Dohmen, Thomas & Pondorfer, Andreas, 2023. "Religion and cooperation across the globe," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 479-489.
    5. Cyrille Bergali Kamdem & Thierry Mamadou Asngar & Bruno Emmanuel Ongo Nkoa & Blaise Ondoua Beyene, 2025. "Cultural Diffusion and Happiness: A New Evidence in Sub Saharan Africa," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 26(5), pages 1-24, June.
    6. Mohd Radhuan Arif Bin Zakaria & Ahmad Muhyiddin B Yusof & Noor Aileen Binti Ibrahim & Siti Mardhiah Binti Isa & Nur Azmina Binti Mohamad Zamani, 2024. "Public University Student’s Views on Malaysia’s Anti-Witchcraft Law," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(9), pages 298-310, September.

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    JEL classification:

    • I31 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - General Welfare, Well-Being
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O31 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Innovation; Research and Development; Technological Change; Intellectual Property Rights - - - Innovation and Invention: Processes and Incentives
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth
    • O57 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Comparative Studies of Countries
    • Z10 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - General
    • Z12 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Religion
    • Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Economic Sociology; Economic Anthropology; Language; Social and Economic Stratification

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