The Positive Effects of Superstitions

THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF SUPERSTITIONS

According to the Oxford Dictionary being superstitious is having or showing a belief in excessively credulous belief and reverence for the supernatural. Our lives are basically influenced by the belief in superstitions. Whether people are aware of it or not, faiths in superstitions are always present in their behavior and decisions. A common saying, “break a leg”, an action of crossing the finger or having a lucky charm are some of the common superstitions practiced by many. It might either originate from a certain religion, or a myth passed down from their ancestors. It is in our human nature to come up with something to believe in, no matter how ridiculous it may be. Some people may deny that they do believe in any superstitions. For example, when meeting with a black cat, they will, of course, say "No, I don't believe in it". However, the fact is that they will remember about possible results and it remains in their mind and makes them unconsciously looking out for the bad. Similarly, a person who believes in superstitions may expect something, either good or bad, depending on the superstition that suits the particular situation. People believe that many of these superstitions can dramatically affect a person’s life negatively. However, superstitions can positively affect one’s life too. It’s easy to state that these beliefs are absurd thoughts of irrational mind but according to Vyse "Most of the superstitions people engage in are perfectly fine, and are not pathological," (Albert, 2004).

First and foremost, superstitions are believed to improve and enhance our performance. According to Damisch, many athletes own lucky charms or have superstitious beliefs that cause them to perform certain behaviors as part of their athletic routine (Edwards, 2010). For instance, they do not change their socks during a winning streak and practice the same rituals before every game. In order to see if activating people’s superstitious...