Superstitions, such as knocking on wood or throwing salt over your shoulder, helps to get rid of the fear of failure

The superstition is nothing wrong (if you do not get too carried away) 53,976,144



Knock on wood - the most widespread superstition in the Western culture. Thus, according to popular belief, you can avoid something bad or "abolish" the evil eye. In other cultures for the same purposes the spitting or throwing a pinch of salt over your shoulder. Even the not too superstitious people often do so.

The researchers conducted an experiment asked subjects first express any negative speculation, and then use either the failure to divert some of the common gestures, or do something unknown, for example, to throw the ball. Those who crossed fingers at random or knocking on wood, to feel more confident.

Scientists came to the conclusion that the well-known action to prevent the negative effects are more effective than those that people invent their own - people used to believe that the failure thus become less likely, and therefore feel more confident.

via factroom.ru