Modern Magic: The Case of Examinations

Abstract

The suggestion that students at present day universities participate in magic at exam time may seem unusual. This study views “magic” as behavior directed toward achieving an outcome, involving many everyday and commonplace acts, but seeming to rely for success on some mystical element. Hundreds of personal accounts from students describing their exam‐related behaviors provide the basis for a classification system of their “magical practices.” The classification yields findings regarding the use of magic for luck and the avoidance of bad luck. Student magic is found to be idiosyncratic, inconsistent, and never malevolent as it often is in preliterate societies. Such differences between preliterate magic, other modern forms, and student magic are related to the complexity and heterogeneity of the larger society, the cultural norms, and the degree of collective action involved.

Tra i Leoni: Revealing the preferences behind a superstition

“…Twenty percent of students require more than 1000 euros to pass between the lions (or will reject any offer), regardless of treatment. This rate is consistent with estimates of superstitious beliefs among students found in prior surveys (Albas and Albas 1989). 18 Further, given that students are likely responding to their implicit beliefs-e.g.…”

“…Albas and Albas (1989) find that 20-33 percent of students engage in superstitious exam related behavior, albeit mostly in the form of bringing on good luck.19 Three anecdotes suggest that the actual WTAs may in some cases be higher than reported: (i) a student who reported a WTA of 120 euros expressed second thoughts when it came time to open the envelope, and then relief when it was revealed that the offer was only 65 euros, (ii) a student who reported a WTA of 1000 Euros was reminded that the offer was in the hundreds, the student affirmed that the reported amount was the minimum and did not request to modify the WTA, (iii) the students who accepted the offer expressed hesitation when it came to walk between the lions, even in the group treatment.…”

Methodological and theoretical improvements in the study of superstitious beliefs and behaviour

“…Many people, for example, believe that knocking on wood wards off bad luck or that lucky charms increase good luck. Superstitious beliefs are often harmless, but may lead to irrational decisions (e.g., students relying on lucky charms in lieu of studying for exams; Albas & Albas, ; see also Matute et al ., ). We reason that people differ in their levels of superstitious beliefs, and that such differences would predict superstitious behaviour; however, before we can assess these hypotheses, researchers need a valid measure of superstitious beliefs.…”

Kissing the mezuzah and cognitive performance: Is there an observable benefit?

“…In particular, we could not help noticing that many of our, apparently non-religious, economics students kiss the mezuzah upon entering or exiting the classroom, a behavior that seems to conform with social psychologists' contention that people are most likely to engage in superstitions when they experience feelings of uncertainty, high psychological stress, and low levels of perceived control (e.g., Keinan, 2002;Schippers and Van Lange, 2006). Because such feelings often accompany important performance-related situations, superstitions are particularly prevalent among athletes and students (e.g., Albas and Albas, 1989;Womack, 1992).…”