Positive associations among dichotic listening errors, complex partial epileptic-like signs, and paranormal beliefs

The numbers of complex partial epileptic-like signs were moderately (rs = .50) associated with strength of paranormal beliefs but not conservative (religious) beliefs in a population of young males and females (13 to 20 years). Dichotic listening errors were also significantly correlated with both complex partial epileptic-like signs and paranormal, but not conservative, beliefs; the females demonstrated the strongest intercorrelations (rs between .54 and .63). These results support the hypotheses that dichotic listening errors reflect a continuum of complex partial epileptic phenomenology in the normal population and this process encourages the acquisition of paranormal but not traditional beliefs.