Scandinavian culture isn’t the first that comes to mind in the context of things like psychic readings, Tarot cards, and other spiritual practices. But this doesn’t mean that Zodiac psychics, astrologists, mediums, and their colleagues have no clients in Scandinavia whatsoever—they do. And it looks like they are slowly getting out of obscurity and gaining popularity. Do Scandinavian People Believe in Psychics? Learn more.
Scandis Are Notoriously Rational
Swedes, Norwegians, and Danes are known as some of the world’s most rational and non-spiritual nations. Even traditional religions, such as Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, are less popular in Scandinavia than in most other developed countries. For example, up to 40% of Norwegians identify as non-religious or atheist. To compare, in the U.S., the number is between 6% and 15%.
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Given their reasonable, logic-oriented mindset, it’s not surprising that Scandinavians aren’t big on thighs like fortune telling, Tarot reading, or palmistry. Obviously, this depends on the individual, but Scandis generally don’t have much interest in the spirit world or other paranormal phenomena.

Scandis Are Generally Fine with Uncertainty
There’s one more reason why psychic services akin to spiritual advisors and fortune tellers aren’t particularly common in Scandinavia. According to Hofstede’s cultural dimensions theory, Sweden, Denmark, and to a lesser extent, Norway score fairly low on the uncertainty avoidance scale.
This means that Swedes, Danes, and Norwegians are fine not knowing what’s to come. They don’t need everything to be predictable and don’t feel anxious without being aware of what tomorrow will bring. So it makes sense for Scandis to be reluctant about psychics—they are perfectly comfortable waiting to see what the future holds instead of trying to find out in advance.

Until Recently, Psychic Readings Weren’t Common
Given Scandis’ rationalism and low uncertainty avoidance, expecting them to be avid spiritualists and astrology lovers would be a mistake. While psychic apps are in-demand in other countries (and have grown even more popular since the beginning of the pandemic), that’s not the case in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Or at least it wasn’t, because things are slowly changing now.
In fact, there was a scandal in Norway in 2019 when the Norwegian Agency for Quality Assurance in Education accredited several astrology courses for students, basically granting them the same rights and recognition as more traditional subjects. Educators were divided, and many of them were outraged at the decision.
This story might seem irrelevant to people outside of the education system. But it actually illustrates two trends—Scandinavians’ general distaste for spiritual practices and, at the same time, their slowly changing status in Scandinavian society. Despite the scientific outcry, astrological courses remain accredited.
Lately, Things Have Changed
The 2019 events in Norway aren’t the only evidence that suggests that Scandis’ perception of astrology, psychic readings, and other similar practices is changing for the better. In recent years, Scandinavia has experienced a massive increase in spiritual advisors, Tarot readers, palm readers, and other psychics who offer their services on a commercial basis.
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It hasn’t been until recently that online psychic reading and astrology websites emerged, catering specifically to Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish users. Relevant global platforms, including mobile applications, are also witnessing an influx of Scandinavian users. Sure, it’s still an emerging market in Scandinavia, but things are slowly looking up.

What Psychic Services Do People in Scandinavia Use?
When it comes to psychic reading types and services that Scandinavian clients prefer, they aren’t much different from the global trends. Some of Scandis’ top choices include:
- Astrology guides and horoscopes. As is evident from the 2019 scandal in Norway, astrology may be a niche market in Scandinavia, but it’s a market nonetheless. People are interested in astrology-based self-discovery, daily horoscopes, and astrology guides for decision-making.
- Astrological compatibility analyses. Love is traditionally one of the biggest topics psychics get to work with, and Scandi clients are no exception. Hence the popularity of astrological compatibility analyses.
- Tarot readings. Tarot card readings are a centuries-old tradition that has only recently become relevant again after a long period of oblivion. According to a few Swedish and Norwegian psychic platforms, it’s another popular request among Scandinavian clients.
- Fortune telling. Finally, fortune telling has always been in demand, and despite their low uncertainty avoidance, Scandis aren’t breaking the tradition here. Some of the most common questions professional psychics get from their clients start with what will happen.
And perhaps the most popular psychic service — both in Scandinavia and globally — is general spiritual guidance that focuses on helping psychics’ clients solve their current problems, be it in their love life, career, or anything else.

Do Scandinavian People Believe in Psychics? – An Afterword
Will Norway, Sweden, or Denmark become the new India when it comes to appreciating psychic readings and astrology? Probably not, at least not anytime soon. But Scandis have definitely been growing increasingly curious about these topics in recent years. So who knows?
Do Scandinavian People Believe in Psychics? Written dedicatedly for Daily Scandinavian by Amanda Barrey. Amanda is a journalist and blogger passionate about psychic readings. She has been writing for various publications for over a decade, covering a wide range of topics including lifestyle, entertainment, and spirituality. In her free time, Amanda loves to explore the world of psychic readings, studying various forms of divination such as tarot, astrology, and
numerology.
Feature image (on top): Photo by Farzad Mohsenvand / Unsplash