The magic that binds us

Abstract

Magical thinking is all around us; it influences our thoughts, actions, and culture. Although magical thinking is a large part of everyday life, there has been little research attempting to determine the possible evolutionary reasons for its seemingly counter productive existence. This thesis proposes a theory that magical thinking can be used as a moderator of anxiety in order to improve an individual’s performance on a task. This study examined the correlation between magical thinking and performance, by having 70 students from the University of Georgia take a cognitive exam during which half of these students were aided by a talisman, while the others received no aid. Results are consistent with the proposed theory; however fail to provide definitive evidence to support it. Data reports that in that in low stress situations, magical thinking has little influence on performance. Further research is needed to determine the influences of magical thinking in highly stressful situations.