The Phenomena and Dynamism of Magical Thinking: Developing a Magical Thinking Scale

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the concept of "magical thinking". "Magical Thinking Followers" are persons who believe in the effect of thinking. This research will contrast magical thinking to the ideas of positive psychology, construct the scale to measure it and investigate its benefits and pitfalls. With the aid of three surveys comprising data of 306 and 382 Japanese undergraduate students, a scale was developed. The scale was made of two factors: "a positive set of thinking and results," and "a negative set of thinking and results." Internal efforts of control to be positive were positively related to both of the two factors. Positive daily activities were positively related to a positive set. Dichotomous thinking was positively related to a negative set. Results implied that Magical Thinking Followers were more motivated to be positive persons partly depending on a naive dichotomous pattern of thinking mechanism.Kew words: magical thinking, magical thinking followers, efforts of being a positive person, dichotomous thinking, positive psychology INTRODUCTIONAccording to Seligman (2002a), psychology isn't solely responsible for the study of diseases, weaknesses and damages, but also incorporates the study of human growth and behavior, i.e., strength, virtue, education, insight, love and so on. To highlight the latter, Seligman came up with a new movement of "positive psychology". Positive psychology is more than wishful thinking and self-deception but instead it tries to adapt the best scientific method for problems that human behavior presents in all its complexities (Seligman, 2002a).One of the biggest fruits of positive psychology is visible within our physical wellbeing (e.g., Danner, Snowdon, & Friesen, 2001;Fredrickson, Mancuso, Branigan, & Tugade, 2000;Moskowitz, 2003). Many studies have shown the correlation between positive beliefs and physical health. Chida and Steptoe (2008) carried out a meta-analytic method examining 70 studies and suggested that positive psychological well-being had a favorable effect on the survival of healthy and unhealthy people. The influence of positive emotions on our lives is not only seen within physical health but also impact our psychological well-being (Diener, Suh, Lucas, & Smith, 1999;Harker & Keltner, 2001).Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Reiko Nakama, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Graduate School of Education, Hyogo University of Teacher Education, 942-1, Shimokume, Kato city, Hyogo prefecture 673-1494, Japan (e-mail: nakama@hyogo-u.ac.jp). NAKAMA & OSHIO 180This is seen through friendship development (Waugh & Fredrickson, 2006), marital satisfaction (Harker & Keltner, 2001) and higher incomes. (Diener, Nickerson, Lucas, & Sandvik, 2002). A meta-analysis of more than 300 cross-sectional, longitudinal and experimental studies supported the claim that life success not only engenders positive affect, but that positive affect also engenders life success (Lyubomirsky, King, & Diener, 2005). Positive attributes such as being satisf...

Identity Politics, Political Ideology, and Well‐being: Is Identity Politics Good for Our Well‐being?

“…2021; Lester et al. 2011; Nakama and Oshio 2013). The answer to the political impact on well‐being is partially answered if progressive political beliefs promote a loss of a sense of internal control, emotionalism, and dichotomous thinking.…”

“…However, over time within the left, universalizing expectations made room for expressions of different oppressed social groups (Hobsbawm 1996). Promotion of shared identities helps to bring easy to generalize components of a group and allows individuals to have attachments to their group, which can be used to link loyalties of the identity group to loyalties of the larger left (Muir 2007). Moreover, the focus on the oppressed within identity politics allows members of the group to define themselves in opposition to the dominant group (Heyes 2020).…”

“…One potential event has been called "The Great Awokening" (Fischer 2018;Yglesias 2019) which is an increase in progressive activism, particularly around issues of identity politics. While identity politics has been a feature in progressive political activism for some time (Hobsbawm 1996;Muir 2007;Walters 2018), with the election of President Trump, there has also been a higher acceptance of identity politics among political conservatives in the past few years (Jardina 2019;Sides et al 2017). Theories of "white grievance" (Benson 2022;Hooker 2017;Smith 2020) suggest one way in which conservatives may use identity politics to promote their political interest.…”