Why Superstition Might Be Good For You

FRIDAY, July 13, 2012 — A black cat run across the sidewalk in front of me. I move to the other side of the street so I don’t cross its path, then step over a crack so I don’t break my mother’s back.

I may be a superstitious weirdo, but I’m not the only one. Fifty percent of Americans admit to being superstitious, meaning they believe in the importance of some event without any cogent clarification. While this actions may seem pointless from the outside, we might want to keep evading those black cats: Research suggests superstition can help give us a sense of control over our lives and even boost our confidence.

Just another Friday the 13th? — The Need to Know

In the U.S., some people think the number 13 is lucky or unlucky; others fear that breaking mirror will bringing them seven years of bad luck, still others never try to walk under ladders. In China, people planning marriages avoid dates with the number four, which sounds like the Chinese word for “death.”

Superstition may also have a lot to do with religion, since moderately religious people of all faiths tend to believe in superstitions and the paranormal more than others. For others being superstitious help them to avoid some negative outcome of their everyday life.

That’s possibly because this group is open to the concept of the unknown, but willing to believe in mysterious experiences that their specific religion doesn’t explain. 

But that figure fluctuating through the kitchen might be more than the ghost of Christmas 

Past. 

People who feel they don’t have a lot of control over their lives are generally more likely to act superstitious, and some research suggests superstitious thinking is a way to increase our sense of self-efficacy.

Superstitious behavior, describes an irrational belief in supernatural influences. And it’s possible that our belief in some things called magic is a production of human thoughts. In other words, if an animal hears rushing and sees a predator, every time he hears rustling he’ll think it’s an attack, even if it’s just the breeze. (So if I ace my practice GRE in cat-print pajama pants, you better believe I’m wearing those babies when I take the real exam!)

Step on a Crack – Your Action Plan

Magical beliefs may also be a useful coping strategy: In in another study women who declaimed psalms during periods of conflict experienced less nervousness than women who didn’t. For some people, the magic of that lucky rabbit’s foot isn’t just in their heads. One study found the belief in a lucky ball, or another object, boosted people’s confidence levels and enhanced their performance on everything from sports games to memory tasks. 

And while carrying a lucky charm or uttering a prayer is not likely to hurt anyone, superstitious beliefs can get out of hand. Putting yourself in danger for superstition reasons may be unhealthful and unsafe. (Think wearing the same lucky blue underwear for a week straight — gross!) One study even found highly superstitious taxi drivers were more likely to get into car accidents than others, though it’s not clear that superstitious thinking actually caused any risky behavior. 

If superstitious beliefs are interfering with your relationships and daily life, it might be time to speak to mental health professional. Otherwise let’s stick to wearing those lucky socks and throwing salt over our left shoulders – just watch out for those sitting behind you. Some researchers think superstition can be a symptom of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), which involves unwanted, repeated thoughts and behaviors.

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