Do you ever knock on wood for good luck?

Cross the street if you see a black cat?

What about refusing to stay on the 13th floor of a hotel,

if the hotel even has a 13th floor?

Do you go out of your way to avoid walking under ladders?

Even if you don't do these things,

you're probably at least familiar with them

and other common superstitions.

Or maybe you have some personal superstitions, a lucky number, a charm, a ritual that you find

indispensable.

Superstitious beliefs and behaviors like these are common.

But where does superstition come from?

What psychological purpose does it serve?

And are some types of people more likely than others to be

superstitious? What's the connection between superstition and other forms of irrational thinking?

And is it possible that your lucky charm or pre-game ritual might actually help you perform better?

Welcome to Speaking of Psychology, the flagship podcast of the American Psychological Association

that examines the links between

psychological science and everyday life.

I'm Kim Mills.

Our guest today is Dr. Stewart Weiss, author of the books Believing in Magic, The Psychology of Superstition, and Superstition, a very short introduction.

Dr. Weiss is a behavioral scientist, teacher, and writer who is often

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