NOPE. Throwing salt over your shoulder when a shaker topples does not have magical powers to influence the future. But a bunch of us still do it! In fact, some estimates find that more than half of Americans are superstitious in some way.
Researchers say it's a control thing an attempt to manage the uncertainty of life. The human brain is inclined to seek out cause-and-effect relationships to find order in the chaos, but sometimes it gets too eager to make connections and mistakes a coincidence for a consequence. Superstitious beliefs are then passed down in families and cultures, taking root in our psyches. Suddenly black cats are getting the cold shoulder.
This story is from the October 2023 edition of Real Simple.
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This story is from the October 2023 edition of Real Simple.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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