Donning red underwear to play mahjong: superstitious beliefs and problem gambling among Chinese mahjong players in Macau

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Ohtsuka, Keis and Chan, Chi Chuen (2010) Donning red underwear to play mahjong: superstitious beliefs and problem gambling among Chinese mahjong players in Macau. Gambling Research, 22 (1). pp. 18-33. ISSN 1832-4975

Abstract

One hundred and fifty eight mahjong players in Macau completed a questionnaire on superstitious beliefs and the Canadian Problem Gambling Index (CPGI). It was hypothesised that mahjong superstition and education level would predict problem gambling. Problem gamblers scored significantly higher on superstitious beliefs than non-problem gamblers. A hierarchical regression analysis indicates that education level and mahjong superstition together predict problem gambling. The largest portion of the variance in problem gambling was accounted for by superstition. However, demographic predictors such as sex, age group, income, and relationship status were unrelated to problem gambling. Further, a logistic regression analysis showed that mahjong superstition scores correctly classified 95.1 % of problem gamblers and 93.4% of non- problem gamblers. The current findings suggest that superstitious beliefs may play a significant role in the maintenance of problem mahjong gambling.

Item type Article
URI https://vuir.vu.edu.au/id/eprint/15790
Subjects Historical > RFCD Classification > 380000 Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences
Historical > FOR Classification > 1701 Psychology
Historical > Faculty/School/Research Centre/Department > School of Social Sciences and Psychology
Historical > SEO Classification > 970117 Expanding Knowledge in Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
Keywords ResPubID21311. cultural influence on gambling, superstition, Chinese mahjong gambling
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