Why do people believe in omens and superstitions?

Problems

Magical thinking is characteristic of children; for a child, the world and his own “I” form a single whole.
For example, he wants to eat, and his mother feeds him - the child gets the feeling that he has magically filled himself up. He cannot realize that this is not in his zone of control, but in his mother’s control zone. About the same thing happens to a person who performs magical rituals and follows signs. If fantastic things are part of reality for you, then in psychology this speaks of the infantilism of consciousness. Instead of reducing the level of anxiety, signs can only increase it, begin to bother you and distract you from your work. This happens if a person sees some strange sign or forgets to perform a ritual. Although it is also quite arrogant to believe that everything that happens in the world depends on you. It is wise to fulfill 50% of your responsibility and leave alone what you cannot control.

Ken Drinkwater

Senior Lecturer in Cognitive and Parapsychology at Manchester City University
Finding the real basis for superstitions is incredibly difficult because most of them date back centuries. This means that their original meaning is the source of much debate and speculation. Additionally, in some cases the context changes over time. For example, many scholars claim that the belief that walking under a ladder is bad luck dates back to Egyptian times.

This is due to the fact that the staircase resting on the wall creates a triangle shape - an important symbol of ancient Egyptian culture, one of the possible associations with the divine trinity. Therefore, when a person passes under the stairs and actually “breaks” the triangle, this, according to the Egyptians, is a desecration of the gods.

Walking under stairs is not customary among Christians either. The origins of the belief go back to the death of Christ. Christians refer to the fact that the ladder rested on a crucifix. Accordingly, structures that rest on a flat surface symbolize betrayal and death.

A more modern connection between stairs and misfortune can be traced to 17th century England: criminals used to pass under them on their way to the gallows.

On a subconscious level, believing in luck can actually increase confidence and contribute to success in business. The effect occurs because positive omens provide people with psychological confidence, reduce anxiety, and create a sense of illusory control over the situation. However, in extreme forms, omens can become self-reinforcing to such an extent that failure to perform the ritual can cause serious anxiety.

This happens even if the person realizes that the outcome of the situation depends on skills and abilities, and not on supernatural forces. A quote often attributed to famous golfers perfectly illustrates how so-called luck depends on our skill and effort: “The harder you work (practice), the luckier you become.”

Man photo created by asier_relampagoestudio — www.freepik.com

Another potential positive consequence of signs is that they force people to take preventive (checking) actions that minimize the number of errors and failures. On the other hand, if a person becomes obsessed with beliefs, it can lead to an anxious personality disorder. And belief in failure as a result of any action leads to a real lack of success in the form of a self-fulfilling prophecy. In other words, people mistakenly believe that failure is predetermined and inevitable—in such cases, we often say that they “scratched.”

Is it possible to eat from a knife?

It is believed that eating food in this way will make a person evil. This is justified by the fact that the knife has long been used as a tool for obtaining food. In addition, it was perceived as a means of protection not only from real danger, but also from evil spirits. Such a powerful magical instrument deserves special treatment, so eating from it means angering the spirits.

But putting a knife in your mouth is also dangerous for another, more real and “earthly” reason: it is very sharp and can easily cause injury. Therefore, when eating, it is more advisable to use more familiar cutlery, such as a fork and spoon. Use the knife for its intended purpose.

How superstitions affect people

The need to foresee the future arose simultaneously with human labor activity. The life and health of an entire clan depended on changes in weather, preservation of crops, and successful hunting. Exploring the surrounding world and conquering new lands also required information. And since it was obtained experimentally, people unwittingly compared the results of their activities and events in nature. If any matches were found, they were recorded. When the situation was repeated, when two completely different incidents occurred simultaneously, it became firmly fixed in the mind. And then subsequent life was built taking into account the ideas received.

Doubts and lack of confidence in one’s abilities make a person superstitiously seek support in omens. After all, in case of failure, you can easily relieve yourself of responsibility by shifting it to the actions of independent forces. A black cat and spilled salt, a woman with empty buckets and knocking on wood, a hat on the table and the thirteenth number - who cannot continue each of the listed signs?

The human psyche is designed in such a way that having strong beliefs in something, he is able to program himself for failure or luck. And if you are sure of trouble just because you return home without looking in the mirror, so be it. And if you believe, and even collectively, that a wedding in the rain is fortunate, the newlyweds will receive a powerful spirit for a strong family life. Signs and superstitions then influence life when people themselves want it. Moreover, the interpretation of different signs is individual. “Pregnant women should not knit” - for some people this is an unquestioning ban, in order to prevent entanglement of the umbilical cord. And for others, this is the belief that prolonged static load disrupts blood circulation, which is not beneficial for the unborn child.

Research and experiments of scientists

Biologists, cultural scientists and psychology specialists confirm in their research the ancient origin of superstitions. They argue that following signs makes people play it safe. And he who is forewarned is forearmed

Increased caution and attentiveness prevents an accident, and in general helps to survive. Information about confirmed signs is passed on to subsequent generations and each time becomes more and more important.

Scientists have also coined the concept of “superstitious habit,” which even scientific evidence of its inconsistency cannot yet eradicate.

Simple experiments prove that a person is able to change the results of his work only by relying on his favorite superstition. In one experiment, participants were asked to grab talismans, and then, under a plausible pretext, they were taken away. The first half of the group received their amulets back before the start of the task, while the other half was told that there had been a hitch and the talismans would be returned after work. Those participants who had their things returned showed better results, while the second group admitted that they experienced anxiety and uncertainty.

People tend to seek help and confirmation of their actions, relying on signs. Psychologists suggest treating them with a sense of proportion and a bit of humor, choosing positive moments and being confident.

The history of superstitions and signs

All signs and superstitions are aimed at finding a logical connection between seemingly incompatible and illogical things. And its roots go back to the distant times of undeveloped science. Today people know a lot about the world, its laws, society and human characteristics, the interaction of man and nature. Previously, in order to get rid of oppressive ignorance and not be afraid to live, one had to rely on signs, superstitions and intuition:

Someone alone noticed a random coincidence and established a connection between two completely different signs (phenomena).
This scheme is supported by a feature of our memory: we remember the confirmation of signs, but forget the refutations. A sign (prophecy, fortune telling) may come true once and not come true 20 times, but it will be remembered in memory as always coming true. That's how it started.

But the peculiarity of the psychology of belief is that the piggy bank of various kinds of beliefs is regularly replenished. Why is it so popular nowadays? Old signs are alive in the public historical consciousness. There's no escaping this. And new ones are born for the same reason - ignorance, fear. Although science has made a huge leap forward, there are still many secrets and mysteries in the world. As a result, we can say that superstitions and signs are the unconscious basis of personality, which cannot be eradicated.

What is a premonition? In the language of psychology, this is a combination of a natural and useful property of intelligence - assumption (the probability of some event without determining the specific numbers of this probability) and anxiety. The likelihood of a person developing a premonition (assumption + anxious expectation) increases in situations of stress, tension, and critical conditions. If the premonition does not justify itself, then it will, of course, be forgotten. Otherwise, it will be remembered. This is how the superstition “premonition never deceives me” is born.

Types of magic and signs associated with them

Sympathetic magic is a form of witchcraft based on the idea that objects that are similar in appearance (similarity magic) or have been in direct contact (contact magic) supposedly form a supernatural connection with each other. No mirrors. If there is a dead person in the house, you need to curtain the mirrors. You want to do that. Because, reflected in the mirror, according to the norms of sympathetic magic, it (the corpse) is partially, of course, but nevertheless will forever remain in this mirror. And u don't need that! Contagious magic is actually the same as sympathetic magic. It is based on the fact that things, once in contact, maintain a connection at a distance. An example of this magic would be the use of blood, nails, teeth, hair and other elements of human nature in various types of witchcraft. Is it freezing here? A sudden chill means that someone has walked over your future grave. Partial magic works here topsy-turvy. The grave, which will someday accept you while still alive, is still considered a part of you and, being in a disturbed state, temporarily gives you some of the features of a dead person: pallor, cold extremities and impaired consciousness. Think about it next time you get those chills

What superstitions exist

Superstitions are with us all the time, as well as folk signs

For example, a superstitious person pays attention to low-flying birds as harbingers of rain and forgets that a few minutes ago he circled an advertisement in the newspaper or wanted to walk around the city. We urgently need to go home and take shelter from the rain!

As the long-term practice of superstitions shows, people simply have a desire to avoid unfavorable situations. And folk signs provide just such an opportunity. But is this really so? Let's try to figure it out. If a superstitious person is in a hurry to catch a plane and, according to popular belief, sees that he is wearing his beautiful sweater inside out, then he thinks not to board the plane and rent an apartment for the night or, at worst, stay overnight at the airport. After all, you may not reach your destination!

Functions of superstitions and signs

Signs and superstitions play an important role for our psyche - they give a sense of security, a sense of control over the situation and its management. They serve as a kind of placebo, instilling in a person confidence in their own abilities.

This is how, for example, various amulets and amulets work. It's hard to believe that they can actually attract good luck or give a person what he dreams of. But the fact that human thoughts are material leaves no doubt. And if a person is confident that success in love will soon await him, then so it will happen:

Amulets give a person a feeling of calm and confidence.
The psychophysiological background is restored, and the individual himself is able to rationally manage his life.

As a rule, a person does not notice this and believes that the amulet really helped. This in turn strengthens faith. That is why superstitions do not leave our lives.

Or, for example, the well-known sign that birds shit on money. Faced with this, a superstitious person not only begins to expect profit, but his brain also begins to look for sources of income. Signs are undoubtedly useful in this regard.

But there is also the other side of the coin: superstitions and signs can turn into obsessive states and then interfere with a person’s life. For example, according to one of the signs, if you break a mirror, it will lead to a streak of misfortune. A superstitious person programs himself for this, and misfortunes really happen. In general, the essence of signs (good and bad) is the placebo effect.

Thus, superstitions:

on the one hand, they give safety, comfort, protection;
on the other hand, they interfere with the development of human cognitive and creative abilities.

Despite all the advantages of beliefs described in the article, I have a rather negative attitude towards superstitions and signs. I believe that they hinder a person’s personal growth, do not solve real problems, but only mask them, and interfere with the disclosure of creative potential.

Prejudices and superstitions in proverbs and sayings

If something happens, then we spit over our left shoulder: pah-pah-pah. We say: “so as not to jinx it” and then knock on the wood three times. This is one of our prejudices. Why do we have to knock on wood three times and spit. Moreover, over the left shoulder and also three times?

This is interesting: How to increase your self-esteem?

Since ancient times, it has been the custom that our guardian angel is on the right shoulder or simply on the right, and the devils are on the left. It is the demons who push us to do bad things and do various dirty tricks on us.

To ward off the devils, you have to spit over your left shoulder in their direction. Didn't the devils themselves teach us to spit? After all, this is not good.

From the point of view of the Christian faith, this is a simple superstition. Jesus Christ said that “the kingdom of God is within you.” All demons and angels are inside every person, in his soul, and not on the side, where for some reason they spit.

Why are the demons on the left? Why do they say: “the right ear rings for good luck, and the left ear rings for misfortune,” “the right eye itches for joy, and the left for tears,” and so on.

Further more interesting. If they say: “low income,” then it’s unclean, not serious. Or, on the contrary: “our cause is just.” Because “right” means “correct”, “truthful”. And “left” is “not good”, “deceitful”.

Science's point of view regarding the "right" and "left" sides of proverbs.

Today, scientists are seriously solving the problem of “left and right” regarding the structure of the human brain.

It has long been known that the left hemisphere of the brain controls the right half of the body and is responsible for reason, the logic of speech and actions. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the left side of the body and is responsible for the emotional side - experiences and feelings.

If the right hemisphere, which is responsible for emotions, is excited, then its normal activity is disrupted due to the experiences that have occurred. This disrupts the left side of the body. Then the left leg, left eye or left ear will begin, excuse me: “to limp, itch and ring,” that is, to manifest itself outwardly. The right hemisphere is considered more correct as it is responsible for reason and logic.

Women are more likely to believe in various signs and prejudices, since their right (emotional) hemisphere of the brain is more active. In men, the left hemisphere of the brain is more active. But, of course, there are many exceptions to this rule.

The belief about broken dishes is considered a good omen. Without a doubt, this was created to keep everyone in a good mood, especially if the dishes break during some kind of celebration.

Of course, not every prejudice or sign, like a saying or proverb, has important meaning or deep meaning. Let’s say: “if you hiccup, then someone remembers you” or “if you are mistaken for someone else, expect profit”

Why not test a person to see how much he believes in prejudices and how superstitious he is. The ancestors could have laughed kindly: “Well, my friend, why do you immediately take nonsense at face value? Trust and verify!”

And what do you think? Write your interesting opinion in the comment.

What causes luck?

For centuries, people have believed in luck and widely agreed that luck can be influenced through spiritual means by performing certain rituals or avoiding certain circumstances.

One such activity is prayer, a religious practice in which this belief is particularly strong. Many cultures and religions around the world place a strong emphasis on a person's ability to influence their condition through ritual means, sometimes including sacrifice, omens, or spells. Others associate luck with a strong sense of superstition, that is, the belief that certain taboos or blessed actions will influence how luck favors them in the future.

Martha Bayless

Professor of English and Director of Folklore and Public Culture at the University of Oregon
I would say that, on the one hand, all superstitions are based in reality. Beliefs are a way to control what seems uncontrollable, a signal that shows what we are worried about. For example, in Oregon, many commuters believe that touching the ceiling of the car while crossing an intersection on a yellow light brings good luck. This situation illustrates that following omens can even be dangerous. After all, the desire to drive through an intersection on a yellow traffic light can end sadly for both drivers and pedestrians.

You ask: are there signs with real action? Perhaps the superstitions associated with salt do work to some extent.

The most common sign is to throw salt over your shoulder if you spilled it. For thousands of years, salt was believed to bring good luck and maintain health. A long time ago, people who came to the baptism ceremony gave salt to ensure the health of the child. Salt is also beneficial because it preserves food much longer - which is why butter, bacon and ham are always so salty. So, in essence, the “salt superstitions” are true - salt keeps us from evil. Of course, not very much when we throw it over our shoulder. But it is quite noticeable when, with the help of salt, we extend the shelf life of food. That's why she is valued so highly.

Another sign that has some value is excitement before the full moon. People often think that the full moon is a time of evil forces. And it's not in vain! This is because before the advent of electricity, people could only have fun at night during the full moon - this is how they could find their way home. The best time for theft. You can even find descriptions of similar cases in Jane Austen's novel Sense and Sensibility. Today, when we enjoy all the benefits of the modern world (in the form of street lights, among other things), it is difficult for us to imagine that without light sources it is almost impossible to get home. That’s why people behaved like “sleepwalkers” during the full moon.

Signs. Why do we believe in them?

- It is known that a woman on a ship means big trouble. “If we don’t take her, it will be worse.”

They say it will be unlucky if a black cat crosses the road... Whistling in the house means lack of money. And if the mirror breaks, then there will be trouble. Although the signs contradict science, we continue to follow them. No, no, and we’ll spit over our left shoulder, knock on wood, or grab a button in front of a frightened, innocent animal. So why do we continue to blindly believe prejudices? There are several psychological reasons for this.

Love for rituals

It is always easier for a person to perform a ritual honed over the years than to take responsibility for what is happening. Do you have an important meeting coming up? Of course, you will put on your “lucky” bra (tie, amulet, etc.) - it has never let you down, right? Having an unwashed head before an exam is much easier than cramming. For every significant event, we try to come up with our own ritual, which will certainly lead to success. Such signs in a sense increase self-confidence.

And if you fail, you can always blame it on the fact that “the ritual didn’t work.” But it's not your fault. Of course not.

Anxiety Remedy

Psychologists say: the more we worry, the worse the result of our activities.

When something important is at stake (exam, interview), it can lead to disaster. Don't worry, be happy! Signs in this case are an excellent remedy for excessive anxiety.

How it works? You met a woman with full buckets - you believed in your luck, calmed down and tuned in to the positive. And someone simply places objects in a special order or steps on hatches along the way... By doing this a certain number of times and in the right way, a person tries to curb anxiety and gain a sense of comfort. And even if this is not scientifically substantiated in any way. The main thing is that it works!

The desire to lift the veil of the future

And what will happen next? Everyone asked themselves this question. A person tends to look for clues to predict possible developments in love, health, finance or travel. And don’t go to a fortune teller - signs here play the most psychotherapeutic role! They calm, heal the pain of unrequited feelings and give confidence. And most importantly, they save you from fears of an unknown future.

Desire to control everything

It is impossible to control everything in life. But why not take advantage of the opportunity? When stress follows you closely, it’s so nice to rely on signs and superstitions that make life a little happier and easier.

Are your finances slipping through your fingers? All you need to do is see a spider on the wall - that's definitely money. Just like that, the idea of financial well-being arose in your head. And thoughts, as they say, materialize. So everything is under control!

Protection from failure

Trouble? It happens to everyone... But you can react to them in different ways: find the reason for what happened or blame everything on a black cat.

Forgot something and returned home? Be kind enough to look in the mirror, and then nothing bad will happen. If you analyze the situation and look at it soberly: you’re just tired, that’s why you forgot. But performing the ritual with a mirror returns a feeling of calm. And no analysis is needed!

What is luck?

Luck refers to what happens to a person outside of his control. This view includes phenomena that are random events, such as a person's birthplace, but where there is no uncertainty, or where uncertainty does not matter. Within this framework, three different types of luck can be distinguished:

Constitutional luck, that is, luck with factors that cannot be changed. Place of birth and genetic constitution are typical examples.
Random luck - with unpredictable factors. Accidents and epidemics are typical examples.
Ignorance of luck, that is, luck with factors that no one knows about. Examples can only be identified in hindsight.

This is fine?

My name is Dasha, and I believe in miracles. I am convinced: if you take some unusual object and “call” a certain Vovan about it, then you can ask for any wish, and it will come true. In addition, I catch falling stars, blow away eyelashes, burn notes and drink ashes along with champagne, and if I have too much of the latter, I read my hand. What I suffer from is listed in the psychological dictionary as “magical thinking.” No, this is not reading thoughts or signs of fate, but an illusory perception of life. People with this diagnosis are confident that they are able to control reality with the help of rituals.

I must say, I'm not alone. We are like that... all of us! Or almost everything - to one degree or another. We want to believe in the inexplicable and look for evidence that everything will be fine. And we are taught this from childhood. Let's take any fairy tale: a girl was a poor but kind stepdaughter, but she became a princess and received half a kingdom. It is logical - a good person found himself in a difficult situation, and the villains were punished in the end. That's the way it is. In reality, there are millions of other scenarios, and from this list you really want to choose your own.

But if 19.19 on the clock or a meteor caught out of the corner of the eye are short-term episodes of magical thinking, then personal misfortune is a long-term story. It is no coincidence that the peak of popularity of astrology and magic usually occurs during crisis years. We begin to “turn on the psychic” in those moments when it becomes unbearably difficult for us.

Psychologist Irina Vinogradova: “What is the most difficult thing for a person to experience? Loss of a loved one, ruin or collapse of hopes? No. Uncertainty. What do horoscopes or fortune telling give us? Eliminate inaccuracies. It doesn’t matter whether the prediction is positive or negative, the main thing is that the person gets the opportunity to do something in accordance with the “clarified” situation. The ground appears for making a decision, taking actions that will either avoid negative predicted events or prepare for the appearance of something positive in life. It is difficult for any person to live without support. If it is not inside, then let it be outside - in the form of a certain list of events and instructions on what to do and what not to do.”

The history of the occurrence of signs

Various signs of fate and superstition date back to ancient times. People did not yet know how nature works, the laws of physics and what causes certain phenomena, which sometimes frightened them very much. Therefore, they looked for explanations in other ways: they observed what preceded a certain natural phenomenon. Thus, people predicted certain weather conditions. For example, if birds fly low, it means rain, a clear sunset means sunny weather, etc.

Over time, signs began to be not only natural, but also social in nature. With their help, they began to predict certain behavior of people or specific life situations. For example, spilling salt means a quarrel, breaking mirrors means bad luck. All this once had a real, direct meaning. People fought over salt, since it was a very expensive and rare product, and if it was spilled, it would mean suffering great losses. Same with mirrors. Not only were they expensive, but they were also fragile. Therefore, the owners convinced their servants and family members to treat them carefully.

Belief in omens is so firmly rooted in the minds that in the modern world of science and technology, people often continue to predict certain phenomena through prejudices. It happens that they come true, but this has more to do with the mood of people. The latter begin to look for confirmation of signs. For example, if a person spills salt, without realizing it, he begins to provoke a conflict with his behavior. If a person is faced with a favorable sign of fate, he looks for pleasant moments in any situation, without noticing others.

Do omens come true?

Vain faith takes away faith in God. It is a misfortune for a person to be so gullible. To be afraid of meeting a servant of God or a black cat is absurd for a Christian attending religious services. Yes, signs sometimes come true, but you cannot elevate every case into dogma and completely rely on them.

Here are the words of John Chrysostom as retold: “You should not laugh at people who have many signs in their souls. They say - I was leaving the house and the servant began to put shoes on my left foot - no wonder it was a bad day. Then my right eye twitched, which led to tears. The rooster crowed - something else will happen.

Such people live as if in darkness, because of superstitions they see bad in everything, and cannot fully enjoy life. Despite their imaginary freedom, they are enslaved like slaves.

But you shouldn’t ridicule all superstitions; it’s not as sinful as it seems. You cannot rise above others. People only harm themselves. There is only one terrible sin, an insult to God.”

It is dangerous to believe in sorcerers who practice magic in church or with the help of Christian attributes. They deprive people of the opportunity to get rid of demonic influence. But if you confess, you can avoid mortal danger. It threatens not the deceived, not those who turn to psychics, but the sorcerers themselves. These unfortunate manipulators lose the protection of God, and the devil gains power over them.

Attention! If earlier signs related to the weather often came true, now they cannot be trusted. The climate has changed significantly, sometimes even weather forecasters can’t predict what will happen... Joking signs come true more often

For example, if you are waiting for an important call, go into the shower and wash yourself; if you want to meet a person from the past and boast of your success, go out into the street in the most shabby form, he will do; If you want it to rain, leave your umbrella at home. There is no sin to believe in such signs - they are not related to religion and do not have any influence on the salvation of the soul. Joking signs come true more often

Joking signs come true more often

Sign

A sign is a subjective reaction of the cognitive mind of a person, trying to identify the relationships between mutually embedded processes, to objective phenomena. Thus, a sign is the result of the work of the mind of a person who feels that everything in the world is interconnected. The observational ability of some people and their ability to understand this leads to the identification of stable relationships between individual processes, and, as a consequence, to the emergence of stereotypes for recognizing these relationships, which is formalized in the form of folk signs.

Most often, weather and agricultural signs belong to this type. Basically, such signs are based on observations of several generations of people about nature and the identification of some patterns. Many of these signs are still used by tourists, fishermen, villagers and other people who need to quickly assess the surrounding situation without the ability to use special instruments. Examples of such signs include:

“When the earth crumbles easily, they go out to plow.” (This means that the soil is sufficiently dry and not wet, i.e. most suitable for plowing.)
“In winter, pillars spread across the sky from the sun - to frost.” (“Sun pillars” are a fairly well-known optical effect caused by hexagonal ice crystals suspended in the air.)

These folk signs were passed down from generation to generation, corrected, and with the spread of printing, collections of them began to be published. An example can be given.

The content of the sign, or the fact that it was noticed, may correlate with actual patterns that were too difficult to confirm scientifically at the time the sign appeared.

Phillips Stevens

Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology, University at Buffalo
Why are we afraid to walk under ladders? In addition to the existing references to ancient Egyptian and Christian culture, there is another, best explanation for me: something might fall on you. As with most signs associated with forbidden foods, feces, carrion and the like, these are all common things that people avoided and which over time took the form of superstitions and magical rituals.

The word “fact” has another meaning that is different from the one we are used to. For millions of people, the “fact” is that there are forces and mysticism in the world that can be activated in ways that cause benefit or harm. The forces I speak of are based on fundamental principles that now seem absolutely universal in human thinking.

The first is related to similarity: supposedly objects that resemble others have a cause-and-effect relationship. A striking example is religious rituals that repeat the event to which they are dedicated. The prejudice against the number 13, especially on Friday the 13th, stems from the story of Jesus' last supper: it was Thursday evening and there were 13 people sitting around the table. There will be an arrest later that night and a crucifixion the next day. So the idea is this: a certain action led to a tragic outcome in the past, and therefore can have negative consequences today.

The second principle is contact: things that have had physical contact with other objects remain connected even after they are separated from each other. Contact can be direct, physical or temporary, spatial.

Here's a good example: Barry Bonds (American baseball player) hit his 800th home run in one of the games. And that ball that Barry Bonds hit sold for more than $800,000 simply because the item was associated with a famous person. And when the athlete was involved in a drug scandal, the price of the ball dropped significantly.

You avoid doing something because of any of these principles. You don't step on a crack in the asphalt because the crack is damage and contact with it will spread this property to you. You don't open an umbrella in the house because an umbrella is meant to be used during a storm, and storms are a danger. This explanation can be applied to all other superstitions.

"Sit on the path"

NBC/gph.is

Can you imagine the surprise of a foreigner who hears such a phrase? He will be even more bewildered by your explanation of such a Russian tradition. A stranger will also be surprised by the origin of this unusual superstition, which is still popular in our country.

Did you know that our ancestors believed in many strange mythical creatures? For example, in a brownie. It was at that time that the tradition of sitting down in front of the road for a few minutes arose. It was believed that by sitting down for a while in front of the road, you seemed to be asking permission from the brownie to leave the house, since people believed that the main owner in the house was the brownie.

Later, the meaning of this tradition changed. Since our ancestors believed in various spirits, it was believed that short “get-togethers” before the road protected you from evil spirits that you might take with you on the road.

Today, of course, many old Russian traditions have already lost their meaning. But, nevertheless, many people still have the habit of sitting down on the road. True, now everyone has their own meaning in this. For some it’s an opportunity to gather their thoughts, for others it’s just luck, and for others it’s a chance to remember that nothing is forgotten on the road.

The sign will tell you!

This is how the next level of attitude towards signs and superstitions is formed: their function becomes creative; with the help of signs, human psychology tries to model future events.

Negative signs - a black cat, a broken mirror - become a reason to abandon previously planned plans, change the daily routine and do something harmless, or even simply indulge in laziness with a clear conscience.

Positive signs - a “lucky” ticket or a wedding encountered along the way, add confidence in one’s own strengths and capabilities, and set one in a positive mood. Thanks to this, what is planned usually works out.

Do you know why people become superstitious?

If we study the emergence of superstitions, we can find the answer to this question.

People are very desperate to find the reasons for all the misfortunes they face. Superstition helps them hide their mistakes by blaming luck, which they believe no one can control except God. New research has found that stress makes people not only believe in rituals, but also in conspiracy theories, and as a result they are more likely to "see" things that aren't really there.

A sense of lack of control over one's life fuels many people's desire to bring order and structure to the world.

The less control people have over their lives, the more likely they are to try to regain control through mental gymnastics.

The feeling of control is so important to people that lack of control is threatening. While some delusions may be bad or misleading, they are extremely common and most likely satisfy a deep and enduring psychological need

Here are some more reasons that make people superstitious:

…. dream about life
…. having a strong need for control
…. don't like ambiguity in their life

Earth and sky in mythology

People should not be allowed to touch something beautiful; it must be kept at a great distance. For most civilizations that developed on the continent and mastered shipbuilding, the only unconquered height was the sky. For many millennia they only dreamed about it, solemnly raising their heads up.

The earth also hid its secrets, not letting us into its depths. Thousands of years ago, even the mines did not go very deep down, and even now we have only vague ideas about the composition of the crust and its nature.

So why not place your most beloved heroes somewhere in the sky, on an unattainable pedestal? For thousands of years, people will only strive in this direction, but will never be able to achieve it.

And all the villains can be sent deep down, from where they will build their intrigues or simply suffer, deprived of grace. In both cases, listeners will only have to take their word for it, without the opportunity to independently verify and prove or refute their existing point of view.

The world has changed, superstitions have not

My father has been going to sea for 30 years. And the most dangerous thing, as he says, is not a storm with waves the size of an eight-story building - although they do too - but ignoring the signs. For example, you should never go on a flight on Monday. Otherwise, expect trouble. And for good luck, you must definitely throw money into the first trawl - then the fish will be caught well.

“And if you flip a coin and there’s still no catch, what then?” – I’m curious.

“That means there are no fish,” the father laughs.

Logical. But why then believe in omens if they do not give any guarantees? Clinical psychologist Miroslava Vlasenko explains: a person needs certain rituals associated with “luck” for psychological control of situations that do not always depend on him.

“Superstitions are needed in order to cope with the fear of the unknown,” our interlocutor explains. – Many people tend to attribute responsibility for what is happening to external forces. For example, on the eve of an exam, a student puts a five-kopeck coin in his shoe “for good luck” and, having received a good grade, is sure that it’s all about the “magic” ritual. Such actions are a kind of self-help for people who are restless, have difficulty enduring critical situations and need psychological control.

This is especially true for those whose work involves danger to life. For example, the most superstitious professionals are doctors and pilots. They have dozens of rituals in their arsenal that give confidence in a successful working day. Doctors try not to leave out the medical history - this leads to complications. And not taking on the treatment of “our own people” is a bad omen. Pilots do not wear their caps with the visor down. Because that's what they do to dead comrades. And they don’t say “last flight”. Better - “extreme”. It's more reliable.

According to Miroslava Vlasenko, the tendency to believe in omens depends on the locus of control (the point to which a person focuses when something happens in his life - Ed.). And also from how closely our parents reinforced superstition in us.

“Signs come from ancient times, when there was no information available to explain certain events,” our expert continues. – Roughly speaking, superstitions arose due to lack of awareness of people and were passed on from parents to children. As a result, the world changed, but the signs did not. Many do not consider themselves superstitious, but adhere to some rituals, because suggestions about their significance have passed from generation to generation and are so deeply rooted in the subconscious that they do not require criticism for their automatic execution.

I decided to ask my colleagues if they consider themselves superstitious. The answer was clear: no.

- Okay, but do you look in the mirror when you get halfway home because you forgot something? – I continue.

“It happens,” colleagues think. – But this is just a habit from childhood.

Problems of superstitious behavior

In most cases, superstitions are harmless and do not in themselves cause any harm. Moreover, they often help us take control of our anxiety levels. However, when they cross adequate boundaries, it can be dangerous.

Superstition can make us dependent on some object or amulet, and if we suddenly lose or forget it, this can lead to an increase in anxiety levels.
If we usually have this object that is significant for us with us in important situations, such as an interview or an exam, then the fact of its absence can negatively affect our work, because without it we feel insecure and helpless.
Superstition can make us believe that pseudo-science and pseudo-medicine are effective when in fact there is no evidence for this. This applies to homeopathy, Bach flowers, feng shui, astrology... This becomes a problem at the moment when some people replace traditional medical treatment, the effectiveness of which is scientifically proven, with these dubious methods of treatment. Most of them turn out to be useless and put their health at serious risk.

This is what happened to Steve Jobs, the founder of , who hoped to cure cancer through pseudoscientific therapy. When he changed his mind and decided to trust traditional medicine, it was already too late.

Story

Signs, superstitions, the ability to see the past/future, healing with icons, grandmother's amulet ring, places of power, zodiac signs - all these are details of magical thinking. This is a special idea of the structure of the world, in which there is a place for symbols, forces or entities, the ability to influence the world with the help of special thoughts or rituals, and subtle relationships between events that are invisible to a person who does not have special knowledge.

For example, a student did well on an exam when he was wearing a red shirt. These are things that have no common basis, but a person with magical thinking concludes that this shirt is lucky, and it makes sense to wear it for all subsequent exams. This is an example of a cause-effect fallacy. And often all this is done as if not seriously, but just in case.

History of superstitions

The biggest human problem is the tendency to believe that everything in the world exists for a purpose. The sun shines to make the grass green; the grass turns green so that the cows eat it; cows eat grass to produce milk, and milk is needed for Andrey to grow strong and healthy... Therefore, we endlessly try to understand the meaning and purpose of our existence - an activity that is more than unsuccessful in the Universe, whose main principle of structure is “let it be.” We, as purposeful beings, cannot agree in any way that the basis of existence is actually just chance. Evolution proceeded as luck would have it, and most of the events in our own lives are in no way predictable. We believe that nowhere and nothing happens for nothing. But it is precisely this faith that fails us. Endlessly experimenting with the environment, people sometimes made “right conclusions”: if you grab a black and yellow flying insect, there is a high risk that it will pierce your finger with its sting. And sometimes it’s wrong: when Big Chi broke his leg hunting, his wife was cooking yams, so you can’t cook food when your husband is hunting. Really? Hmm... Where did they come from? Why does a person unmotivatedly believe in them? Most of the signs that we believe in today, surprisingly, take their origins from antiquity or the Middle Ages, and are associated with specific historical events, customs, living conditions, etc. The word superstition itself consists of the words “vain” - vain, empty, and “faith”: i.e. internal confidence in something, often without relying on facts or logic. The video below will tell you more, and you can also take training on it in our Video Workshop.

Superstitious beliefs and religion

The line between these two words is very thin and it is often observed that they tend to overlap each other. Religious believers often view other religions as superstitions. Likewise, atheists and agnostics may consider religious beliefs to be superstitious. Religious practitioners are more often called outsiders when they believe in unusual events (miracles), an afterlife, supernatural intervention, the value of prayer, charm, spells, the significance of omens and predictions.

The Roman Catholic Church believes that superstitions are sinful in the sense that they signify a lack of trust in God and, as such, are a violation of the Ten Commandments. The same is the case with Islam; it prohibits the following of beliefs that do not correspond to the Koran and Hadith. Islam calls such false beliefs the way of Shaitan (Satan or demon).

Signs and superstitions about Friday the 13th

It will be interesting to note that the fear of this day has its own name - paraskavedekatriaphobia

(from the Greek “Paraskevi”, which means “Friday” and “Dekatreis”, which translates to “Thirteen”).

This phobia also has a second name - friggatriskaidekaphobia.

.
It is part of a broader concept - triskaidekaphobia
. This name comes from the name of the goddess Frigg from German-Scandinavian mythology.

Particularly superstitious people on this day decide to close all the doors and windows in the house for the whole day.

, stop answering phone calls and don’t look out the window.

In some cultures, Friday the 13th is considered devil's day.

, which means it brings failure. Initially, there was no connection between the fifth day of the week and the devil's dozen.

Interesting facts about this day

* It all started in ancient times. According to ancient beliefs, on this day 12 witches and other evil spirits gathered for the Sabbath, and when the full moon comes, the tempter himself appears on the 13th.

* Also in Christian culture it is believed that on this day Cain killed Abel

, Christ was crucified, and at the Last Supper, where all the apostles gathered,
the 13th was Judas
, who betrayed Christ.

* Friday the 13th was called “black” in ancient times, and all because of a real historical fact. On this day, April 13, 1307, many representatives of a very rich and influential organization - the Order of the Templars -

Later them burned at the stake of the Holy Inquisition

, which considered them heretics. Therefore, Friday the 13th is a dark day in history, which is surrounded by a lot of superstitions and mysteries.

* In the 18th century, more and more people believed that Friday the 13th brought bad luck. Among the British, this belief was so great that, according to one legend, the authorities decided to prove to everyone the absurdity of this superstition.

They built a ship, called it HMS Friday

.
Moreover, the beginning and end of construction also fell on Friday the 13th. The ship set sail and disappeared along with its crew. Nobody heard from him anymore
.

* In Spain and Portugal, sailors do not count Friday, but Tuesday the 13th

unfavorable day.
On this day it is advised not to moor and not to get married
.

What will winter be like? Folk signs about the weather in winter

* In the computer world, Friday the 13th is considered “black”, since on this day there is the highest probability of hacker attacks

. Often the creators of computer viruses released their “brainchildren” on this day.

* It is worth noting that the 13th most often falls on a Friday.

Mark D. Griffiths

Professor of Behavioral Addiction at Nottingham Trent University
Having studied gambling behavior for a long time, my understanding is that no superstition is based on fact. Signs are based on what I would call “illusory correlations” (cognitive distortions). For example, when three successful visits to a casino occurred when a person wore a certain item of clothing or made visits on specific days of the week. While such observations may be based on fact (the person actually wore a blue tie that evening), the relationship is spurious.

The susceptibility of the human mind to all kinds of delusions is the main source of superstitious beliefs. Signs cover many areas of life: lucky or unlucky actions, events, numbers and even statements. Most often today we are faced with the belief that a particular action brings either good luck or bad luck, although there is no reasonable or generally accepted basis for such a belief. In short, the main feature underlying superstitions is that they have no rational explanation.

There is also a stereotypical opinion that there is a group of people in society who are more inclined to believe in omens than others. These include athletes, actors, miners, fishermen and gamblers - many of whom have common beliefs based on things that have personally happened to them or that they are well aware of.

Again, they may well be based on fact, but the associations they build are again illusory and false. Most people are rational and do not believe in the consequences of superstitions. However, in times of uncertainty, stress or perceived helplessness, they often seek to reinforce their personal control over events through superstitious beliefs.

Psychologist B.F. Skinner offered one explanation for how we learn and begin to believe in omens. He illustrated this with a study of pigeons. While waiting to feed, Skinner's birds behaved quite peculiarly. They seemed to see a cause-and-effect relationship between food intake and their own behavior. But that was just a coincidence. There are also many analogies in human society, especially in the world of gambling. For example, if a player blows on the dice during a game and wins, his belief in this connection will be strengthened by the reward of winning.

gifer.com

Another explanation for the widespread belief in omens has to do with our childhood. As children, we are more likely to believe in magic and superstition. Although many of these beliefs dissipate over time, children can pick up these behaviors from their environment. So, if parents or peers knock on wood, wear lucky chains, and don't walk under ladders, children are likely to imitate their actions, and many of these beliefs will carry over into their adult lives.

“My right hand itched - for a meeting, acquaintance, etc., for money”

NBC/gph.is

There are all kinds of signs in our country, most of which go back to the distant past, when our ancestors believed in spirits and other mythical creatures. So the sign with the right hand goes far into the past of Rus'. So, according to popular belief, when your right hand itches/itches, it is believed that you will soon say hello. And indeed, we all greet with our right hand.

It is also believed that scratching your right palm portends that one of your relatives will turn to you for help in the near future. There is also a sign that if your palm begins to itch on all sides, then a gift awaits you that will not be given from the heart.

And, of course, the most common superstition, when the right palm itches, is associated with money. The sign says that if your right palm itches very much, profit awaits you.

“You cannot give knives, scarves and watches”

FOX/gph.is

Since ancient times, there has been a superstition in our country that if you are choosing a gift for someone, you should not give the person a scarf, as this may cause trouble. That is, our ancestors believed that this was a bad omen. For example, it was believed that a scarf could become a hindrance in a relationship. There was also an opinion that by giving a scarf to your other half, you would invite sadness, tears and a break in the relationship. Fortunately, although this superstition has survived to this day, it is gradually becoming a thing of the past. Many people no longer believe in this funny sign.

As for knives, probably almost everyone knows that you can’t give knives as gifts, as this supposedly leads to a quarrel. But, as you remember, there is also protection against this. If you give a knife to your friend, relative, etc., then, according to legend, if the recipient gives you a coin, the omen will not come true. By the way, giving a coin for a gift of edged weapons has its origins in England. It is worth noting that this omen is still strong today, unlike the omen with a scarf.

The sign warning about the undesirability of a gift in the form of a watch, unlike many other superstitions on our list, originates in other nationalities outside of Rus'

Historians believe that the ban on giving watches came from China, where the Chinese from the very beginning were wary of mechanisms capable of measuring what is invisible to the eye and impossible to comprehend. Other peoples were also afraid of clocks.

In the old days, watches were believed to have magical powers and otherworldly properties.

In our country, our ancestors were not afraid of the clock itself. Thus, a folk superstition that has survived to this day says that you cannot give a watch to any person (girlfriend or boyfriend, wife or spouse). Since ancient times, it has been believed that such a gift will doom the couple to separation.