Stuck in a slump? Get superstitious. Some rituals may reverse bad luck, finds new research from the National University of Singapore.
In the study, people tried to “undo” jinxes—like saying “My football team is going to win the next game”—by performing certain actions. For example, participants who knocked down on wood or threw a tennis ball felt more secure about their fates than those who hit the underside of the wood or simply held the ball.
How come? When you do things that exert force away from yourself—like throwing a ball—it simulates pushing away bad luck, says study author Yan Zhang, Ph.D. The research suggests that throwing salt, spitting, or knocking on wood can all do the trick, too.
Sure, it sounds goofy, but there’s no harm in trying it. In fact, other research supports the idea that you can ward off bad juju: A 2010 study in Psychological Science found that carrying around a lucky charm can actually improve your performance because it increases your sense of confidence, while research from the University of Michigan suggests you can physically wash your hands to wash away bad luck.
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