There is a current beer commercial that illustrates some of the superstitious things people do to support their sports teams. The byline is “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work”. As amusing as they seem, some superstitions are based on real published studies.
Conditioned superstitions are those we impose upon ourselves. For example, wearing a certain Bengals shirt to their game because they win when you wear it or carrying a charm for good luck. One study published in Psychological Science found that golfers sank 35% more putts when they were told they were playing with a “lucky” ball. This placebo effect can improve outcomes.
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Cultural superstitions, while performed individually, impact us as a society. Friday the 13th generates less business income and fewer people fly than other days.
How do we reduce superstitious behavior? A technique called “self-affirmation” reminds us of our positive traits and makes us more psychologically resilient. This helps us cope when something bad really happens.
Healthy living,
