According to the textbook superstitious behavior is defined as being a behavior learned simply because it happened to be followed by a reinforcer, even though this behavior was not the cause of the reinforcer (Franzoi,2014). Superstitious behavior is related to accidental reinforcement. When people are accidentally reinforced upon engaging in a specific behavior they may began associating the desirable outcome with the specific behavior they performed. As a result, they believe continuing to perform this behavior will produce another desirable outcome. As suggested by Ph.D., Susan Krauss Whitebourne superstitious behavior involves the performance of a ritual or action that can be repeated with symbolic value(Whitebourne,2014). Both the textbook and Whitebourne use the behaviors of sports fans to explain superstitious behavior. Sports fans can be used to explain superstitious behavior due to their actions on game day and while attending sporting events.
