List of superstitions

A superstition is "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation" or "an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition."^[1][2] Often, it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, a belief in fate or magic, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific (apparently) unrelated prior events.^[3][4][5] The word superstition is often used to refer to a religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains alleged superstitions.^[3][6]

Superstitions, while often dismissed as irrational, serve a psychological and social function. They can provide comfort or a sense of control in uncertain situations—athletes wearing “lucky” items before games, for instance, or students using rituals before exams. In many cultures, superstitions are intertwined with traditions and collective identity, passed down through generations as a way to interpret events beyond human understanding. Despite advances in science and education, such beliefs persist, suggesting that the need for meaning and reassurance may be as powerful as the desire for empirical truth.^[7]