The Belief in and Practice of Superstitions

Although superstitions are common, not everyone believes in and practices superstitions to the same degree. The current study examined correlates of the belief in and practice of positive and negative superstitions, in addition to asking respondents the functions that superstitions serve. Two hundred eight workers on the online crowd source platform Prolific completed a Qualtrics survey. The results provided support for the tendency of people to act on superstitions even in the absence of believing in them. This tendency for practice to supersede belief seems to apply even for people who are more objective and who engage in critical thinking. According to respondents’ self-reports of why most people practice superstitions, practicing superstitions serves important functions, including habit, anxiety reduction, and social belonging, highlighting the normative functions of superstitions in everyday life.