The Psychology Behind Superstitions — Why Do We Believe In The Unbelievable?

I think we can all agree that superstitions are weird. Most people who follow superstitions know there is no logical reason why they could work, yet still follow them. Why? What is so special about superstitions?

Did you know black cats are less likely to be adopted in the UK?

I’m sure you’ve heard many strange superstitions throughout your life. You were probably told as a kid that broken mirrors bring 7 years of bad luck or shooting stars will grant you a wish. As an adult, you may not even believe in luck or wishes anymore, yet the allure is still tempting.

A lot of us want to believe there is something out there that affects our lives, and superstitions are no exception. There are some elements of our lives that we just can’t control, such as death, relationships, or luck. Superstitious beliefs tell us we can control them if we perform a little ritual or avoid certain things. They give us control.

For example, there is an old saying that if you do your laundry on New Year's Day you could “wash away a loved one”. You can regain control by not doing laundry that day.

To be clear, a belief is only a superstition when we can logically reason that this action will have no effect on the real world. We have to know that the ritual can’t logically cause or prevent an outcome, yet we do them anyway.