Superstition Implicitly Affect People On An Individual Cognitive Level

Superstition does not merely affect humans on an individual cognitive level; it has been implicitly branded on our society partly due to its religious background, its reinforcing principle and the evolutionary implementation on us as a species. To begin with, although religion and superstition remain in separate spheres, there has been some over lapse among them in how they affected our behavior and thoughts. Taking into account several popular superstitions that still remain current such as the ladder, black cat, and the salt spilling it is apparent the religious background a majority of superstitions possess. Walking under a ladder is considered an apparent hazard also to the mystic forces. A ladder represents the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, thus walking under it would break the trinity. When …show more content…
Superstition is not a newly invented concept; it has been carried around for centuries since the development of cognitive thought. Superstition possesses a quintessential role in evolutionary biology. We often associate in an irrational way, cause and effects, thus creating a superstitious habit of our own. As long as it leads to the occasional benefits, we support this superstition and adapt our behavior and even daily routine to it. Consequently, natural selection will transmit this beneficial feature from generation to generation, since it assists humankind’s existence. Furthermore, superstition also consists of repeating the certain seemingly random actions, because it might lead to certain outcomes. We do not have evidence that replacing our words or walk within pavement lines will alter our fate, however we still prefer to conform our behavior to these beliefs. Natural selection has allowed for such behavior due its social bonding purposes and placebo effect. Thus superstition is deemed worthy of such appraisal throughout the centuries by us and evolution