Superstition involves belief in some supernatural process, such as opening an umbrella in the house that brings bad luck or quotes such as "knock on wood", which refers to not bringing bad luck to oneself or others, and even "stitions", which are beliefs non-supernatural ones involving health practices such as wearing copper bracelets for arthritis. Being superstitious is something we often learn as children. As many of us begin to recognize that these superstitions are invalid, countless people claim that some supernatural or magical phenomena are real. But if they aren't logical, why do people tend to believe them? Most superstitions have existed for many generations, and individuals with similar cultural backgrounds usually practice similar types of superstitions. I and many of my family and friends engage in superstitious behaviors, often without realizing it. If the claims aren't true and have no scientific or logical evidence behind them, then why don't people recognize that they are false and stop broadcasting them? Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One reason seems to be simply because other people tell them these things are true and people tend to believe them. Another problem seems to be that superstitions are generally vague enough that no particular case will ever be clearly false. Superstitious people are also very good at making excuses for why things didn't go as planned. These individuals can easily visualize magical effects or supernatural processes. Many of these superstitions involve good or bad luck, but since we don't know what form luck will take, there is no way to be sure whether the prediction is true or false. Likewise, occasionally there will be cases where the expected effect of the superstition will come true. For example, maybe someone will bring a rabbit's foot when they win in a casino. This not only reinforces the so-called “superstition” of the people involved, but the superstitious story is very likely to be passed on, reinforcing it for many others. However, the desire and need for greater control or certainty is perhaps the dynamic force behind most practiced superstitions. We tend to look for some sort of decree or explanation for why certain things happen. “Sometimes creating false certainty is better than no certainty, and that's what much of the research suggests,” says Vyse (WEBMD). Superstitious beliefs have also been linked to people with OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder). These individuals often have a compulsion to practice certain rituals over and over again, often interfering with their daily lives. While some OCD symptoms can mimic superstitious behavior (and the two are not mutually exclusive), most evidence would indicate that there is no connection between the two. Superstitious beliefs and practices have also been linked to mental, emotional, and spiritual health, as something believed typically falls into these health domains. Phobic (fearful) superstitions can also interfere with our daily lives and cause a lot of anxiety, says Vyse (WEBMD). For example, people who fear Friday the 13th may change travel plans or skip an appointment due to unnecessary anxiety and paranoia. These types of superstitions usually offer no benefit. Human behavior and superstitious thoughts are extremely complex, so in this case some individuals could easily imagine a mechanism that.