![]() ![]() Magical thinking is considered a cognitive distortion because it’s not based in fact. Cognitive distortions are patterns of thinking that aren’t based in fact or logic. Magical thinking is a type of cognitive distortion, so let’s start there. How is magical thinking a type of cognitive distortion? But magical thinking can relate to a more serious issue. Magical thinking is when someone unrealistically believes that their thoughts, behaviors, or rituals can influence events or actions by others. And if something bad happens, you’re more likely to view it as a lesson or calling to do something positive.”įollow me and subscribe to me on Facebook.Have you ever thought, “If I think about it hard enough, I’ll get a new PlayStation for my birthday.” Or maybe you think that if you wear the same socks every time your sports team has a game, you’ll keep your winning streak. You feel like what happens to you is part of a larger narrative. “We create an invisible being, be it God, destiny, karma or the universe, to blame events on,” says Hutson. Ideas of fate, destiny and divine intervention are teleological part of the mind’s search for intentionality in the world. Studies show that animal companionship helps people live longer, happier lives. Over-attributing human qualities or intentions to animals can be beneficial. He explains that attributing human characteristics to animals, technology and gods (anthropomorphism) stems from our agency detection-being attuned to the thoughts and desires of others-an important survival skill as a social species. Have you ever yelled at your malfunctioning laptop, believing it was out to get you? Wondered if your dog was depressed or celebrated your cat’s birthday? Highly irrational, says Hutson. It also helps you cope with and grieve a loved one’s death. ![]() Believing in an afterlife protects you from the potentially crippling fear of your own mortality. This serves an important evolutionary purpose. Yet one of the most commonly held beliefs is that the soul lives on after the brain and body die. ![]() “The available evidence indicates that consciousness or awareness, which many call the soul, is generated by the brain,” says Hutson. Hutson highlights one study in which people were more likely to make golf putts after the researcher said, “I’m crossing my fingers.” Feeling lucky and following superstitions actually boosts your performance by giving you more confidence and optimism. “The brain is wired to see patterns, so we make connections and create explanations,” says Hutson. These are all magical thoughts that help us explain the world. However, believing in the symbolic power of ritual acts, like a wedding ceremony, offers people a sense of predictability that they crave. In experiments, people become anxious when they are asked to cut up a photo of someone they love, worrying the act might cause them bodily harm. It can be logical-a star-shaped cookie cutter will produce a star-shaped cookie-but not always is. Hutson calls this the law of similarity, or believing that causes resemble effects. If you believe rain on your wedding day forecasts a stormy marriage, then you attribute meaning to symbols. Positive expectations become self-fulfilling prophesies, as you’re more likely to know what you want, recognize opportunities for success and project confidence. “Scientifically, the law of attraction actually does work,” says Hutson-but not because of mental frequencies. Rhonda Byrne made this a best-selling idea with 2007 book The Secret, which said if you pictured the life you wanted, the universe would deliver it to you. Hutson says the law of attraction is the belief that visualizing something will make it real. Your wedding ring or grandmother’s pearls may not be instilled with any real spirit, but they help you feel closer to the loved one.Īctor Jim Carrey famously wrote himself a check for $10 million and carried it in his wallet until he could cash it 10 years later. The belief that subjective properties can be transferred through your lucky ball cap is irrational, but it can provide comfort, confidence and a feeling of control over the world. Would you pay more for an autographed baseball or a dress worn by your favorite celebrity? Would you refuse to buy a house where a murderer had lived? This is magical thinking, says Hutson, rooted in the idea of property transmission-handling something dirty makes us dirty and touching something hot burns our skin. He breaks down the seven types of magical thought and how they can fuel your success. It helps us make sense of an irrational world and gives us comfort, agency and control. Drawing on evolutionary research, cognitive science and neuroscience, Hutson claims that magical thinking has been so important to our survival that it’s hardwired into the brain. ![]()
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