by Megan Sy, M.A., M.S.
As the Summer Olympics kick off, I’ve been watching the previews and the games with particular fascination for any rituals or superstitions the athletes might have. Some of these happen away from the eye of the camera, like the athlete who wears lucky socks or puts their cleats on in a certain way. But some of it happens in plain sight – the swimmer who does eight arm swings, four goggle presses, and four cap touches, the tennis player who bounces the ball five times before the first serve, and so on.
By no means are non-athletes immune to superstitious or magical thinking. Viewers and fans do it too, as do non-sports-loving people. Superstitions are part of all cultures and societies; however, with regard to psychology, they are often associated with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). So when does superstitious thinking become problematic?
Superstitions and magical thinking are as irrational as they come. By definition, these beliefs are illogical and unrealistic. However, they are often harmless (as in the case of some sports examples above). In OCD, magical thinking turns into a ritual that is performed to relieve anxiety and that eventually ends up taking a significant amount of time and energy. Certainly, the big distinction is the level of impairment a superstitious belief or behavior causes. In all likelihood, sports-related ones are all in the name of fun… and winning. So the next time you find yourself cheering for your team in your lucky jersey, don’t forget to cross your fingers and hope that it isn’t Friday the 13th.
