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The Science of Superstition: How the Developing Brain Creates Supernatural Beliefs

by Bruce M. Hood

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How the mind builds supernatural belief

$17.19 USD
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Paperback New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

How the mind builds supernatural belief

Bruce M. Hood examines superstition as a cognitive phenomenon, using experimental research alongside familiar real-world cases. The book connects rituals associated with sports, reactions to homes marked by violent histories, and the continuing devotion surrounding public figures such as Elvis to a broader question: why do people attach significance to objects, places, and actions beyond their material properties? Positioned within cognitive psychology, it presents irrational belief and behavior as subjects that can be investigated through the developing brain and scientific inquiry.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers interested in cognitive psychology and belief formation
  • Those curious about the psychology behind rituals, magical thinking, and superstition
  • Fans of science-based explorations of everyday behavior

Themes

SuperstitionCognitive developmentIrrational beliefMagical thinkingExperimental psychology

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Book overview

"In an account chock full of real-world examples reinforced by experimental research, Hood's marvelous book is an important contribution to the psychological literature that is revealing the actuality of our very irrational human nature." -- Science

In the vein of Malcolm Gladwell's Blink, Mary Roach's Spook, and Dan Ariely's Predictably Irrational, The Science of Superstition uses hard science to explain pervasive irrational beliefs and behaviors: from the superstitious rituals of sports stars, to the depreciated value of houses where murders were committed, to the adoration of Elvis.

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