Magical thinking is when a person believes that specific words, thoughts, emotions, or rituals can influence the external world. Magical thinking examples include worrying that something bad will ...

Magical thinking involves the belief that you can influence real-world events with certain actions or rituals. It’s not necessarily a cause for concern, but it can cause distress for some people.

Over the years, I’ve observed that there are two main modes of thinking in the business world: artful thinking and magical thinking. The two are opposites. I believe that artful thinking is key to ...

Rituals, tokens, and superstitions can comfort you, boost confidence, and help you feel in control. Fixed beliefs that objects have power or you control events may be worth exploring with a therapist.

Superstition is a natural and common phenomenon. Consider the athlete that doesn’t change underwear on a winning streak; the gambler who blows on a set of dice at the craps table; the sports fan who ...

Most people don't believe in magic, but they may still wish for a good outcome by knocking on wood. Magical thinking—the need to believe that one’s hopes and desires can have an effect on how the ...