Superstitions are intertwined in daily life, from choosing the lucky colour shirt for date night or having the dahi-chini before the exam. A study elaborated on why people believe in superstitions, and most importantly why people engage in these superstitious behaviours, even when they know they aren't based in science.

The study focused on if people could even tell when something happened because of what they did, and when it happened by chance. It also highlights the cognitive roots of superstitions, showing that the brain's understanding of cause and effect plays a significant role in this phenomenon.

Cause and effect

A cause-and-effect relationship is integral to the understanding of superstitious behaviour. From early on people learnt about the cause-and-effect relationship, one incident leading to an outcome. It's as early as a baby crying to attract their mother's attention. With age this ability to discern the cause and effect becomes more developed, helping to understand the complicated world around us. This ability to see relationships between causes and effects is a fundamental part of human thinking, influencing everything from planning to emotional regulation.

But this ability to judge and discern isn't always great. Sometimes, people assume and mistakenly believe that their actions led to an outcome when they actually haven't. For instance, when the exam goes well when you write with your your lucky pen. But there are other factors at play here such as exam preparation, study materials, and question paper difficulty. So this thought that the pen is solely responsible for the good exam, is purely coincidental. It probably showed a rewarding outcome once, which led people to believe that it might work again.

This tendency to mistake coincidence for causality is at the heart of superstitions. This suggests that superstitious behaviour happens because often one can't tell if their actions actually caused something to happen, or if it just happened by chance.

Improves confidence

The research also showed that engaging in superstitious behaviour can feel comforting, and soothing, boosting confidence. It helps reduce anxiety and provides a sense of calming reassurance. Superstition gives people a feeling of control over uncertain situations, making them feel more secure, even if the actions themselves don’t have any real effect. So in a way, everyone once in a while benefits from indulging in harmless superstitions.

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