| Do
You Believe In Ghosts? Almost Half (47%) Of Canadians Say They Do
Many
Canadians Say They’ve Been In Presence Of Ghosts (18%) And Have Lived In
A Haunted House (9%)
Attention: Arts/Entertainment Editor, Lifestyle Editor TORONTO,
ONTARIO/HALLOWEEN--(CCNMatthews - Oct. 25, 2006) - With Halloween just around
the corner, a new Canada Speaks survey released by Sympatico / MSN reveals that
nearly half of Canadians are wary of ghosts and goblins not only during the trick-or-treating
festivities, but all year long. The poll was conducted for Sympatico / MSN by
Ipsos Reid.
Forty-seven percent of Canadians indicate that they believe in
ghosts - 31% say they "think such things are likely" and 16% say they
"know such things exist". Further:
* One in five Canadians (18%)
say they have been in the presence of a ghost;
* 12% have had an "out-of-body
experience";
* 9% have "visited with the ghost of a dead relative";
and
* The same proportion (9%) says they have "lived in a haunted house".
Fortunately,
for ghost-believers, more (32%) feel that ghosts are usually "forces of good"
rather than "forces of evil" (8%). But,
when it comes to the Halloween holiday, many Canadians don't appear enthusiastic
about the occasion. Approximately one-third of Canadians agree with the statement
that "I don't like Halloween" (31%), while just 29% say they "will
likely put on a costume this year for Halloween". And, 32% agree that they
"don't really understand what we're celebrating on Halloween". Fifty-seven
percent of Canadians agree that "on Halloween, I would rather stay at home
and hand out candy than go out and walk the neighbourhoods with the kids when
they go trick-or-treating". Perhaps
this lack of enthusiasm towards Halloween is related, in part, to the fact that
the very strong majority of Canadians (84%) feel "in this day and age, it's
unsafe for children to go trick-or-treating on Halloween without an adult to supervise".
On average, Canadians
think a child should be no more than 13 years of age before they should stop trick-or-treating.
With Canada Speaks,
Sympatico / MSN is listening to its readers' opinions in order to continue providing
them with the information they care most about. Canada's most popular online destination
with more than 18.4 million visitors per month*, Sympatico.MSN.ca is the one online
destination that provides the tools and information Canadian's need to connect
with friends, family, and what's happening - in their community and around the
world. These
are the findings of an Ipsos-Reid poll conducted from September 28th to October
3rd, 2006 via a regionally representative online Canadian sample of 1267 adult
Canadians. For this sample, results can be considered accurate 95% of the time
with a 2.8% margin of error, of what it would have been had this entire population
been surveyed. Half
Of Canadians Believe In Ghosts… Do
you believe in ghosts or other physical manifestations of a spirit world? N=1267
-- See chart in release. *
Belief in ghosts is highest in Ontario and Atlantic Canada (50% in both), and
is lowest in Alberta and Quebec (42% in both).
* As household income rises
the propensity to believe in ghosts declines.
* Those with kids are more likely
to believe in ghosts than those without kids (55% vs. 44%). Among
Believers: 32% Say Ghosts Are Forces Of Good Vs. 8% Who Say They Are Forces Of
Evil… Among
those who express a belief in the existence of ghosts, more (32%) feel that ghosts
are "forces of good" than feel they are "forces of evil" (8%)
and 60% "don't know". *
Women (24% vs. 15% among men) and those with children (32% vs. 9% among those
without children) are most likely to believe ghosts are "forces of good ".
One In Five Canadians
(18%) Have Been In The Presence Of A Ghost… Among
all Canadians, 40% say they (18%) or someone they know (22%) have been in the
presence of a ghost or supernatural being. Forty-seven percent have not and do
not know anyone that has been in the presence of a ghost; the remaining 12% "don't
know". *
Women are more likely than men to say that they or someone they know has been
in the presence of a ghost (48% vs. 32%).
* Atlantic Canadians (49%) and British
Columbians (46%) are the most likely to have personally experienced or know someone
who has experienced being in the presence of a ghost. One
In Ten (12%) Have Had An "Out Of Body Experience"… When
asked about an "out-of-body experience":
? 12% say they have personally
had one;
? 15% say they know someone who has;
? 61% say no one they know
has; and
? 13% "don't know". *
Albertans (17%) are the most likely to have had an "out of body experience",
followed by British Columbians (14%). …And,
9% Have Visited With The Ghost Of A Dead Friend Or Relative… When
asked about whether they or someone they have known has "visited with the
ghost of a dead friend or relative":
? 9% say they have
? 14% say
someone they know has
? 62% say they don't know anyone that has
? 14% "don't
know". *
Women are more likely than men to say they have visited with the ghost of a dead
relative (12% vs. 6%).
* Those aged 55 and over are the least likely to say
they have visited with the ghost of a dead friend or relative (5% vs. 11% among
those ages 18-54). Same
Proportion (9%) Have Lived In A Haunted House… When
asked whether they or someone they know has ever "lived in a haunted house":
? 9% "yes,
I have";
? 18% "yes, someone I know has";
? 60% "no,
no one I know has".
* Women are more likely than men to say they have
lived in a haunted house (12% vs. 6%). When
It Comes To Halloween…
Attitudes Towards Halloween (see release for chart)
-- For each of the following statements, please tell me if you strongly agree,
somewhat agree, somewhat disagree, or strongly disagree? N=1267 *
Residents of Alberta (40%) are the most likely to agree with the statement "I
don't understand what we're celebrating on Halloween".
* Those who believe
in ghosts tend to like Halloween more than those who don't believe in ghosts.
* Women are more likely than men to say they will:
o "likely put on
a costume this year for Halloween" (32% vs. 25%).; and
o "likely
decorate my home" (51% vs. 44%).
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