Superstition

[Zeromajor]

Don't swing doors, don't walk under ladders, ooh a black cat, mind those cracks....

If we think about it, wouldn't a psychologist consider behaviour like this to be some level of high-functioning autism?

It's always intrigued me how perfectly reasonable, logical individuals can turn into irrational lunatics over things like the above in this day and age.

Note: This isn't about religion, so don't go there

[eric pisch]

dont have any

own a black cat which will cross your path 100 times to get fresh chicken

[krish]

don't forget astrology / horoscopes
- nonsensical fraudulent cack

I could go on about certain "alternative" therapies too (homeopathy, crystals, etc) and the placebo effect, but don't want to offend any tree-hugging science-haters

[Wild Weasel]

Not walking under ladders is common sense.

[wellladida]

Originally Posted by Wild Weasel

Not walking under ladders is common sense.

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by Zeromajor

Don't swing doors, don't walk under ladders, ooh a black cat, mind those cracks....

If we think about it, wouldn't a psychologist consider behaviour like this to be some level of high-functioning autism?

It's always intrigued me how perfectly reasonable, logical individuals can turn into irrational lunatics over things like the above in this day and age.

Note: This isn't about religion, so don't go there

Working hard in the new job I see mate


Did this back in my A level days of psychology, we did something about Pigeons being supersticious or something like that.

When talking about superstition you have to rule out certain things...

For example, you have compulsion, like counting things etc (OCD for example) which again is sometimes linked into superstitions if you've seen the movie As Good As It Gets, you will see Jack Nicholson with signs of superstition, stepping over cracks and eating at the same table, this is just purely OCD, not to be confused with superstitions.

Anxiety is another thing which can lead to compulsion and superstious tendancies.

Procedure/Ritual... often a part of a sports person/athlete's usual procedure before a race/event etc, which is used to help keep the person composed so they can perform without feeling the pressure, the fact they have the same procedure each time they do this can be seen as parly superstitious but more so just as a methodology for keeping themself composed.

I think the whole superstition thing is a mix of many things, and probably has a bit of a placebo effect, someone who doesn't walk under a ladder doesn't have something bad happen to them... thus it must be working.

There's a number of things to look at on the whole superstition front as to what causes the tendancies.

[Zeromajor]

Originally Posted by Iccz

Working hard in the new job I see mate

Not as hard as you by the looks of it, I didn't ask for an essay

[Drunkeh]

Black cat superstition? Ive got two, do i need to exorcise them or something?

[Iccz]

Originally Posted by Drunkeh

Black cat superstition? Ive got two, do i need to exorcise them or something?

You'll be safe.
2 black cats = double negative.
Good luck for you my friend!

[Wild Weasel]

2 black cats = a glitch in the Matrix.

[sunnybacon]

Step on a crack, break your mother's back.
What a load of crap!

[eric pisch]

Originally Posted by sunnybacon

Step on a crack, break your mother's back.
What a load of crap!

if shes carrying you home from the pub and she slips

[Rorifett]

Originally Posted by krish

don't forget astrology / horoscopes
- nonsensical fraudulent cack

I could go on about certain "alternative" therapies too (homeopathy, crystals, etc) and the placebo effect, but don't want to offend any tree-hugging science-haters

I may have picked up the wrong word here and forgive if I have but I'm pretty sure my Grandpa used to do stuff with homeopathy (if that's the stuff to do with replacing lost salts etc from your body when you're ill) and purely based on the fact he's the smartest person I've ever had the pleasure of meeting in the flesh I began to read a bit more into it and could lean towards thinking maybe there is some truth and benefit in the ways of the 'pathy.

[sunnybacon]

Originally Posted by eric pisch

if shes carrying you home from the pub and she slips

Damn, caught me out there!

[krish]

Originally Posted by Rorifett

I may have picked up the wrong word here and forgive if I have but I'm pretty sure my Grandpa used to do stuff with homeopathy (if that's the stuff to do with replacing lost salts etc from your body when you're ill)

that certainly is not homeopathy ... the principle of which is that you treat symptoms with diluted substances that supposedly cause those symptoms... however since extreme serial dilution is used, there are actually no molecules of the substance left and you're more than likely being treated with water