Magical Thinking

At the time of this writing, the Washington Commanders are just a couple days away from playing in the NFC championship game.  A family member suggested that we watch the game at his house for “good vibes,” indicating that since our team won the last time that we watched at his house, we should try to replicate that environment to ensure another win.  Just days before, I attended a hockey game with my husband.  Although he has a specific T-shirt that he normally wears when the Capitals play their main rival, he refused to wear it this time because the Caps lost the last two times that he did.  Many people harbor such superstitions, which is a belief not based in science that certain things or actions will bring good or bad luck.  Many superstitions are even woven into our culture, such as the widely shared belief that walking under a ladder or opening an umbrella indoors will bring bad luck, or that wishing on a shooting star will bring good luck.

Magical thinking in the psychology world is similar to superstition.  It is the belief that one’s thoughts, actions, or desires can influence events in the physical world.  According to 20century psychologist Jean Piaget, magical thinking is an ordinary part of cognitive development from ages 2-7.  At that age, he posited, children have not yet fully grasped the concepts of logical reasoning or cause-and-effect.  They are also particularly egocentric.  They may, therefore, mistakenly believe that jumping up and down outside will cause it to snow, or that their anger at a family member caused them to fall ill.  As their brains develop, their increased understanding of the world causes most idiosyncratic magical thoughts to dissipate.  However, as described above, some magical thoughts (often thought of as old wives’ tales or pearls of wisdom) have pervaded our culture and our lexicon; how often do you hear “Cross your fingers for me!” or “Knock on wood!” in daily conversation?  Religious practices are also sometimes associated with magical thinking.  Just as throwing salt over your shoulder for luck is harmless, so is engaging in religious or cultural rituals.  In fact, such rituals often bring value to one’s life and a sense of connectedness to one’s community or ancestors.  In general, people tend to adhere to magical or superstitious beliefs – even though they recognize that there is no logical basis for them – because they can bring a sense of comfort and optimism.

However, not all cases of magical thinking are innocuous.  Magical thinking can become problematic when the beliefs are adhered to so rigidly that they begin to impact one’s functioning.  One such example is in the case of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD).  According to the DSM-5, OCD is characterized by obsessions (recurrent and persistent thoughts, urges, or images that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted) and/or compulsions (repetitive behaviors or mental acts that an individual feels driven to perform in response to an obsession or according to rules that must be applied rigidly).  The element of magical thinking is embedded in the fact that the compulsive behaviors are not connected in a realistic way with what they are designed to neutralize or prevent.  For example, an individual with OCD might believe that they need to lock and unlock their car door three times to avoid getting the flu.  Another person might feel compelled to chew each bite of food seven times to prevent something bad happening to a loved one.  Someone else might repeat certain words or phrases in their head to neutralize an obsessive thought.  These behaviors are all rooted in magical thinking because there is no logical link between the action and the desired outcome.  Locking one’s car door a specific number of times has no bearing on their physical health.  However, unlike the belief or participation in common superstitious rituals, obsessive compulsive behaviors are intrusive, unwanted, time-consuming, and cause impairment in one’s life.  Those with severe OCD don’t feel that they have a choice in performing their compulsive behaviors, and any attempt at restricting the behaviors is usually accompanied by intense anxiety, distress, or the feeling that things aren’t “right.”

Magical thinking is also present in other mental disorders, such as schizophrenia.  It can manifest as delusions, such as the belief that wearing green will keep aliens away.  Unlike in OCD where the individual can acknowledge the irrationality of their belief, people with delusional disorders generally lack insight.  They believe that their magical thoughts are grounded in reality.

In sum, magical thinking describes a spectrum of thought ranging from developmentally appropriate to pathological.  If you are experiencing magical thinking to a degree that is interfering in your life, we are here to help!

Ashley Dennin, Psy.D.
Licensed Clinical Psychologist