Believing in a guardian angel—leaving aside the issue of whether angels exist or not—might make you safer. Or you might believe in angels because of a heighted awareness of peril.
Either way, a study in SAGE Open by four Canadian researchers found that people who believe that guardian angels are watching over them are less likely to take risks. When asked to provide their opinion about risky driving, most guardian angels disbelievers gave driving 12 mph over the speed limit two on a one-to-five scale of riskiness. The majority of those who believe in guardian angels, however, thought it was a three.
“It may be that people who have a tendency to view the world as being risky or potentially dangerous are more inclined to have a belief in personal guardian spirits,” the researchers said.
The researchers interviewed 198 people—77 using online tools, and the rest in person. Forty-five percent of those interviewed said they believe in a “personal spirit or supernatural power that watches over and protects you.”