Loss of Control: Psychologists Explore Superstitions
Nicole Wagoner Reporting
Psychologists have recently completed a series of six experiments, in which they proved that people who feel as if they have lost control tend to be more superstitious or perceive conspiracies. During the experiment, subjects were shown several static-like pictures. Of these pictures, half were comprised of dots that contained a pattern. The other half were randomized dots that did not have an underlying pattern. 95% of subjects could identify the images that had patterns. More interesting is the fact that 43% of subjects actually saw images in the pictures that did not have an underlying pattern. Along with other parts of this study, this experiment showed how people feel calmer after they find patterns in things, even if the pattern is imagined.
Moreover, this study continued to explore ritualistic behaviors in people whoare superstitious. For this part of the study, participants listened to short stories in which the protagonist performed ritualistic behaviors before significant events. For example, they would hear a story about a man stomping his feet exactly three times before entering and commencing a business presentation. The presentation would result successfully, with his ideas being received approvingly by his boss.
After the story, participants were asked if they believed in a superstitious connection between the ritual and the success of the meeting. Those who previously demonstrated feelings of little control in the study tended to have a higher belief in the superstitious causes. Additionally, these people also were more likely to fear what might happen in the future if the superstitious behavior was not repeated before similar occasions.
This explains, for example, why baseball players and other athletes are often superstitious. Since they have little control over winning a game, they tend to put all their faith into performing superstitious rituals before the start of every game. People with OCD also tend to display ritualistic behaviors, such as continuously washing their hands or rearranging items. However, it leads us to wonder: where do innocent superstitious behaviors (however silly they may seem to those of us who deny superstitions) stop being so innocent and start becoming a life-disturbing disorder.
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Psychologists have recently completed a series of six experiments, in which they proved that people who feel as if they have lost control tend to be more superstitious or perceive conspiracies. During the experiment, subjects were shown several static-like pictures. Of these pictures, half were comprised of dots that contained a pattern. The other half were randomized dots that did not have an underlying pattern. 95% of subjects could identify the images that had patterns. More interesting is the fact that 43% of subjects actually saw images in the pictures that did not have an underlying pattern. Along with other parts of this study, this experiment showed how people feel calmer after they find patterns in things, even if the pattern is imagined.
