A superstition is "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation" or "an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition."cf. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superstition Often, it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, a belief in fate or magic, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific (apparently) unrelated prior events. The word superstition is often used to refer to a religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains alleged superstitions.
Superstitions, while often dismissed as irrational, serve a psychological and social function. They can provide comfort or a sense of control in uncertain situations—athletes wearing “lucky” items before games, for instance, or students using rituals before exams. In many cultures, superstitions are intertwined with traditions and collective identity, passed down through generations as a way to interpret events beyond human understanding. Despite advances in science and education, such beliefs persist, suggesting that the need for meaning and reassurance may be as powerful as the desire for empirical truth.
Global
Chain letter Exorcism Exorcism in Christianity Exorcism in Islam List of lucky symbols List of unlucky symbols Superstitions in Muslim societies Superstition in Judaism Sailors' superstitions Sports-related curses Theatrical superstitions
Number related
Number of the Beast 11:11 4 Four-leaf clover 7 Seventh son of a seventh son 8 9 13 Friday the 13th The Thirteen Club Thirteenth floor 108 111 666 (Number of the Beast) Ace of spades Tetraphobia Triskaidekaphobia 27 Club
Africa
Buda Gris-gris Sampy Sleeping child
Americas
Ascalapha odorata Carranca Curupira Djucu Fortune cookie Knocking on wood Spilling salt White lighter myth Witch window
Asia India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh
Bhoot (ghost) Chashme Baddoor Chhaupadi Churel Dhat syndrome Ghosts in Bengali culture Hindu milk miracle Jackal's horn Miracle Chapati Muhurta Mumbai sweet seawater incident Navaratna Nazar battu Pichal Peri Puppy pregnancy syndrome Sati Child marriage in India Hook swinging Fire-walking Infanticide in India Meriah sacrifice Animal sacrifice in Hinduism Omens and Superstitions of Southern India Evil eye Astrology in India Dream interpretation in Hinduism Omens in Hinduism Votive offerings Fire rituals in Hinduism Possession (spirit possession in India) Exorcism in Christianity and Hinduism in India Bhuta (ghost) Smallpox goddess cults Caste pollution and purity Eclipses in Hinduism Fetish objects and talismans of India Folk healing in India Sacred trees in Hinduism Village deities of India
China
Jin Chan Numbers in Chinese culture
Japan
Akabeko Kanai Anzen Maneki-neko Okiagari-koboshi Omamori
Korea
Fan death
Philippines
Agimat Albularyo Barang Kulam Lihi Pagtatawas Pasma Usog
Thailand
Kuman Thong Palad khik Takrut Nang Kwak
Other
Russian traditions and superstitions Curse of 39
Superstitions in Sports
Europe
Barbary macaques in Gibraltar Blarney Stone Cimaruta Cornicello Goodman's Croft In bocca al lupo Kitchen witch Knocking on wood Nazar Painted pebbles Rabbit rabbit rabbit Ravens of the Tower of London Spilling salt Spilling water for luck Troll cross Tycho Brahe days Witch post Wolfssegen
See also Luck Omen Curse
Notes
References
Further reading
External links
Where Superstitions Come From: slideshow by Life magazine Superstitions in Russia