The Science of Superstitions

Have you ever noticed that your teammate beside you always puts their left skate on before their right and always wears different colour stockings? Have you ever wondered why your teammate ties each of their cleats three times or must shoot at the net exactly 7 times during warm up? The answer to the whys of these questions is a matter of superstition. You’ll notice that most everyone has routines that they go through before competition and whether these are comfort behaviours, rituals or superstitions, it all stems from personal research you have been conducting your whole life. Each one of us has unconsciously performed studies of cause and effect that have been stored in our brains for reference as to what “works” and what doesn’t when it comes to success on the athletic field. Our brains have millions of these cause and effect relationships that we use on a daily basis to guide our behaviour. Our brains work through all these scenarios in order to predict what the next best course of action is. However, sometimes we get what we may consider a short-wire and the brain connects two things that may have no actual relationship to each other … and come up with what many term a superstition. Does wearing the same shirt at each race really make us play better? Does being the last player out of the dressing room really mean we’ll win? It can’t be proven, but if it gives us confidence to perform better that’s an advantage. Just don’t get so caught up in rituals and superstitions that they create nerves and pressure, put the emphasis on using them in a positive way to improve your performance.

For more information on the relationship between rituals, superstitions and your brain contact SIRC.

Reference:Silverstor, Trevor (2009) Superstition. Ultra-FIT 19(7), October 2009, p.30-32.

How Superstitious Are You?

Superstitions have been part of our lives since the beginning of time and nowhere is this more prevalent than in the world of sports! They are mostly developed by an athlete in hindsight, because a particular outcome occurred (positive or negative) when doing a certain ritual. Athletes especially find it necessary to attribute a ‘cause and effect’ to particular results and they will attempt to recreate or avoid it before every competition.

Some of the rituals can include such things as playing a certain song, putting socks on in a particular order, eating favourite foods on game days or predicting doom on Friday the 13th. Others include growing a beard while winning, tapping the goalies pads before the game, or dribbling the ball exactly three times in a certain cadence before the foul shot. And there are many, many more all different from the rest.

But no matter how silly superstitions may seem, and some superstitions are stranger than others, there actually is real value in having them. If an athlete believes that engaging in a specific action or behaviour will make them perform better, then they probably will. This indeed is a foundation of sports psychology and many athletes use these methods to prepare themselves both mentally and physically for competition. Superstitions also offer a confidence boost and a sense of control over an athlete’s environment.

So you can see why many athletes continue to hold on to their assortment of superstitions as cherished traditions. But deep down, they really don’t actually believe in them, but they are not willing to take the chance, and still must act upon the belief and possibility that it may make a difference in the outcome somehow!

Contact SIRC for more information on superstitions or other sport psychology topics!