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This study represents the first attempt to explore the cognitive underpinnings and personality correlates
of New Age practices and beliefs. Ninety-nine subjects from a general population sample completed a battery
of self-report tests, including measures of New Age practices/beliefs and traditional religiosity, as well
as scales of schizotypy, neuroticism, and ‘‘boundaries’’. An experimental task consisting of a random display
of changing dots was used to measure cognitive looseness. Results indicate that there was a relationship
between New Age practices and beliefs and schizotypal personality traits, characterised by magical
ideation, a cognitive disposition towards looseness of associations, and emotional hypersensitivity. Women
were also more likely to be drawn to New Age practices and beliefs. On the other hand, traditional religiosity
was unrelated to all personality indices and measures from the experimental task. These findings suggest
that an individual may be attracted to the New Age by virtue of its magical belief system and practices,
which provide meaning to unusual ideation and experiences, and which emphasise the exploration and
development of a loose cognitive style and emotional sensitivity.