Magical thinking is an irrational belief in causality, often based on patterns or rituals. While it can be harmless, ignoring real cause and effect can be dangerous. It is common in both children and adults, and some popular psychology theories revolve around it. However, extreme versions of magical thinking can be disastrous or fatal, such as in schizophrenia or narcissism.
Magical thinking is a psychological term for an irrational belief in causality. Superstitions, rituals and some popular psychology theories are based on the principle that the performance of a certain action causes another, even if the two are not logically related. The old saw “step on a crack, break your mother’s back” is also a form of magical thinking.
One theory suggests that magical thinking developed from an instinctive search and pattern recognition. If a person notices that whenever he eats cranberries, he gets a rash, he has recognized a pattern that might be causing him to change his behavior about it. Perceiving imaginary patterns, such as pre-game rituals, is relatively unlikely to cause harm. Ignoring real patterns of cause and effect, on the other hand, can be dangerous or even deadly. According to some experts, humans may be more amenable to inventing models of causality and engaging in magical thinking because it’s a safer option.
Magical thinking is a characteristic of children, but it is far from uncommon in adults as well. Much of the heart of symbolism and ritual is based on the idea that an act can lead to a specific result. During the tragedy of the 9/11 attacks, for example, many took the erection of an American flag at the site of the bombings as a sign that the country would prevail and that all was not lost. While probably very few truly believed that the flag was the real deciding factor in America’s success or failure, the hope engendered by the raising of the symbol could be classified as a form of magical thinking.
Some popular psychology theories revolve around the idea of achievement through the power of thought. While documented research remains fairly scarce, these theories suggest that strong, positive thinking is the key to achieving anything in life, from a diamond necklace to a singing career. While skeptics dismiss these theories as magical thinking that encourages people to verge on illusion, some suggest that positive thinking can positively impact certain situations by inspiring a person to change their ways.
The psychological end of magical thinking can be disastrous or even fatal. Schizophrenia is often related to magical thinking, as schizophrenics may believe they have the power to control things with their minds or create things just by thinking about them. People with narcissistic tendencies may be susceptible to extreme versions of magical thoughts that transform their perception of the world into a place where they are ultimate and central beings. Yet most people engage in magical thoughts daily with no risk of harm, or even realization of what is happening. Anyone who has ever yelled at a television to work, avoided walking under a ladder, or attributed an event good or bad to karma is claiming irrational causality.
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