How superstition can help you win: Studies in good luck charm

Updated: Aug 9, 2022

In the last intervention0, I went to study more on the topic of superstition in good luck charms. I found the topic from The Guardian, "The psychology of luck: how superstition can help you win".

This article talks about "Why so many people believe in luck against all reason"

"What role does it play" and "Why does it influence people's feelings?"

Pshychologists tell us that sometimes, feeling lucky can actually improve performance.

Sometimes it's hard to understand why a lot of people believe in the mystical powers of an invisible, external force that we call "luck"

Belief in luck has little bias in reality.

So, Why are so many successful people believers?

“Luck is a slippery subject,” says Maia Young

It's a hard thing to prove or disprove.

While there is nothing objectively special about a lucky charm, a lucky object really seems to work.

“There is no real tangible thing we can call luck, but we create that tangible thing by transferring it to an object.”

says Joseph Mazur

Studies on lucky charms

In a case study of lucky charms (In 2010), studies of lucky charms, people perform better on tasks when they have a lucky charm with them. The researchers studied with students by giving them lucky balls and regular balls. As a result, The students who thought they were putting with a lucky ball were better at it than students told they were using a regular ball.

It can be said that....

"Lucky charms boost confidence for people who believe in them"

Stuart Vyse

"It is not a bad idea to carry a charm for added confidence,

says Young.

Attitude plays a significant role in luck. Someone who believes they are lucky will try harder at a challenging task. That persistence can have a self-reinforcing effect. The harder the task they take on, the more chance of success, increasing the belief that they are lucky.