Examination of Attitudes of University Students Relating with Witching, Magic and Supernatural Powers

Üniversite Öğrencilerinin, Sihir, Büyü ve Tabiatüstü Güçlerle İlgili Tutumlarının İncelenmesi

Abstract

Humankind has always been curious about unknown particulars since starting day of their existence. Hence, when literature and holy texts, archaeological remains, paintings made on the cave walls, sculptures have been examined, it is seen that in almost each community there have been applications regarding witching, magic and supernatural powers. At this point determining attitudes of individuals living in today’s modern community regarding witching, magic and supernatural powers bears importance for understanding continuity of these beliefs. It would be beneficial for revealing the attitudes university students constituting the young and relatively educated segment of community regarding the subject and to predict future values and tendencies of community. For this purpose article focuses on determining attitudes of university students with respect to the variables of gender, type of education faculty, academic success, family piety and subjective piety, in relation to witching, magic and supernatural powers. It has been tried to reveal the attitudes of sample group being composed of 407 people who were determined by random method among students of Faculty of Theology (N:100, 24,6 %), Faculty of Literature (N:100, 24.6 %), Faculty of Business Administration and Economics (N: 103, 25,3 %), Faculty of Fine Arts (N: 46, 11,3 %) and other faculties (N: 58, 14,3 %) of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University regarding witching, magic and supernatural powers by conducting a quantitative research. In the research Frequency and Chi-Square test has been used and in the evaluation of data and finding of calculated values, SPSS 16.0 statistical package program has been used.In the research being conducting the question of “Would you be effected when it is talked about witching, magic, gin and similar topics next to you?” was asked to the sample group and participants have been examined on gender basis with respect to their rate of being effected from speeches being made about topics like witching, magic and gin next to them. According to the sample group taking part in our research, 10 %of males and 11.5 %of girls have preferred the answer of “I would be very effected.” Similarly, while 13.7%of males preferred the answer of “I would be effected.”, 23.5 %of girls have chosen this answer. The answer of “It depends on my spiritual status.” was chosen by 21.1 %of males and 24 %of girls. When the answers given and the results were examined, it was reached to the conclusion female participants were more effected from speeches made about topics like witching, magic, and gin next to them with respect to male participants. Again, in order to determine the types of fortune applied by participants, the question of “Which types of fortune did you refer to in your life?” was asked to participants and examination was made with respect to the rate of application. According to the sample groups in our research, it was seen that 29.6 %of males and 43.8 %of girls have preferred the answer of “coffee fortune-telling. In order to determine the attitude of participants to apply for magic in case of despair as per the faculty where they are getting their education, the question of “Do you think it is helpful to apply to magicians in situations where doctors are in despair?” was directed to them. In this contect the question that was asked as being specific to faculties was answered as “It is helpful.” by 5 %of Faculty of Theology, by 6.1 %at the Faculty of Science and Letters, by 14.6 %at Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, and by 10.9 %at the Faculty of Fine Arts. Again, in order to determine the value attached to psychic people by participants as per the same variable, the question of “Do you think that what psychic people say about future are correct?” was directed. In the sample group 2 %from Faculty of Theology, 8.1%of Faculty of Science and Letters, 7.8 %of Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, and 19.6 %of Faculty of Fine Arts have preferred to give the answer of “Yes”.When the question of “What do you do when you have a wish which you desire too much to become true?” was evaluated as per the perception of academic success, the answer of “I go to a shrine.” was preferred by 1.5 %of those whose academic success was “very good”, by 2.1 %of those whose academic success was good, 1.3 %of those whose academic success was intermediate and 20,0 %of those whose academic sucess was poor. The option of “I would tie a cloth to the wish three.” Was preferred by 7.4 %of those whose academic success was very good, 0.7 %of those whose academic success was good, 2.5 %of those whose academic success was intermediate and 20,0 %of those whose academic success was poor. The option of “I would pray.” was preferred by 69.1 %of those whose academic success was very good, 84.1 %of those whose academic success was good, 84.7%of those whose academic success was intermediate and 60%of those whose academic success was poor. The option of “I would make a vow.” was preferred by 16.2 %of those whose academic success was very good, 8.3 %of those whose academic success was good, and 5.1 %of those whose academic success was intermediate. In order to determine how perception of subjective piety effected the situation of believing in the reality and effectiveness of magic, the question of “Do you agree that magic is real and that it has effect?” was asked. Regarding this situation among those considering themselves very religious as per the perception of subjective piety, ratio of those “Agreeing” that magic is real and has effect was 25 %and ratio of those “not agreeing” was 58.3%and the ratio of those saying “I am indecisive” was 16.7 %. Majority of those considering themselves as very religious (58.3 %) did not believe that magic had effect and that it was real. Among those considering themselves as being religious in accordance with the perception of subjective piety, ratio of those “agreeing” that magic was real and that i

Özet

İnsanoğlu var olduğu günden itibaren bilinmeyene karşı merak içerisinde olmuştur. Nitekim edebi ve kutsal metinler, arkeolojik kalıntılar, mağaraların duvarlarına yapılmış olan resimler, heykeller vb. incelendiğinde hemen her toplumda sihir büyü ve tabiatüstü güçlere başvurulduğu görülmektedir. Bu noktada günümüz modern toplumunda yaşayan bireylerin sihir, büyü ve tabiatüstü güçlerle alakalı tutumlarının belirlenmesi, bu inançların sürekliliğini anlamak açısından önem kazanmaktadır. Toplumun genç ve göreli olarak eğitimli bir kesimini oluşturan üniversite öğrencilerinin konuyla ilgili tutumlarını ortaya koymak, toplumun gelecekteki değerlerini ve eğilimlerini yordamak açısından elverişli olacaktır. Bu amaçla makale üniversite öğrencilerinin cinsiyet, eğitim alınan fakülte türü, akademik başarı, aile dindarlık ve öznel dindarlık değişkenleri açısından sihir, büyü ve tabiatüstü güçlerle ilgili tutumlarını belirlemeye odaklanmaktadır. Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam Üniversitesinde İlahiyat Fakültesi (N:100, %24,6), Edebiyat Fakültesi (N:100, %24.6), İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi (N: 103, %25,3), Güzel Sanatlar Fakültesi (N: 46, %11,3) ve diğer fakültelerin (N: 58, %14,3) öğrencilerinden tesadüfi yöntemle belirlenen 407 kişiden oluşan örneklem grubunun sihir, büyü ve tabiatüstü güçlerle ilgili tutumları nicel bir araştırmayla ortaya konulmaya çalışılmıştır. Araştırmada Frekans ve Chi-Square’den yararlanılmış olup, verilerin değerlendirilmesinde ve hesaplanmış değerlerin bulunmasında SPSS 16.0 istatistik paket programı kullanılmıştır. Araştırma sonucunda, cinsiyetin, fakülte türünün, akademik başarı düzeyinin, aile dindarlığı ve öznel dindarlık algılarının sihir, büyü ve tabiatüstü güçlere karşı tutumlarda etkili olduğu tespit edilmiştir.