Now superstitions can make you a better performer

By   siliconindia news bureau

Saturday, 19 June 2010, 11:22 IST

Bangalore: Believing in luck is enough to boost performance. Scientists from the University of Cologne designed four experiments to test the effectiveness of belief in good-luck superstitions. The superstitions were tested to see whether or not they improved subsequent performance in motor dexterity, memory, solving anagrams, or playing golf, reports idiva.com. 

In the experiments, the participants either brought their own lucky 'charms,' were given something they were told was lucky or had some other superstition-based encouragement. The researchers found that in all four experiments, the participants who had a lucky charm or were given encouragement via a common superstitious saying performed significantly better than their control counterparts.

The participants performed better and faster on motor dexterity tests, plus they had more confidence in their own abilities when asked beforehand how they thought they would do.

The research is the first time superstitions associated with good luck have been demonstrated to affect future performance beneficially. The research is published online in the journal Psychological Science.