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  What's the psychology behind superstition? December 13, 2024 | Pattern Recognition, Question a Day, Storytelling, Superstition Question-a-Day The Psychology Behind Superstition: Why We Believe in Luck and Rituals Ever knocked on wood after saying something you didn’t want to jinx? Or felt a pang of unease on a Friday the 13th? Superstitions aren’t just quirky traditions—they’re windows into the human mind. Behind every lucky charm and cautious ritual lies a deep psychological need for control, meaning, and connection. Let’s dive into why superstitions endure and how they shape our lives. Why Do Superstitions Exist? Superstitions may seem irrational, but they’re rooted in human psychology. Here’s what drives them: 1. The Comfort of Control When faced with uncertainty, humans crave control. Superstitions create the illusion of power over uncontrollable situations, helping us reduce stress. For example, tossing salt over your shoulder might not stop bad luck, but it feels like you’r...

Is Luck Real? 10 November 2024|Bias, Data Analytics, Decision Making, Flow State, Question a Day, Results Question-a-Day Is Luck Real? The concept of "luck" is a fascinating and complex topic that combines elements of randomness, perception, psychology, and even cultural beliefs. When people ask if luck is "real," they're often questioning whether there's a mysterious force that influences the events in our lives, or if what we call "luck" is just a combination of chance and perception. Let’s dive into different angles to understand what luck really is—or isn’t. 1.  Luck as Randomness and Probability At its core, "luck" is often just the name we give to statistically rare or random events. For example, winning the lottery is an event governed entirely by probability, but someone who wins might be described as "lucky." From this perspective, luck doesn’t actually exist as a mystical force—it's simply a label we attach to the ...