Superstitions: A Culturally Transmitted Human Behavior

Abstract

Superstitious beliefs or behaviors arising from an environment derived stimulus of fear, uncertainty, or unpredictable situation help us to overcome such situations. Although superstition is not founded on scientific judgments, it exists in almost every human culture. Variation in superstitions can be explained with ideas of cultural evolution and environmental psychology. In a changed environment where an organism associates two events those were related in the past, but are no longer in existence produce superstition. Habit formation in our species is also related to existence of superstition. Habit plays role in learning and behavioral plasticity. A survey of literature reveals that superstition as a product of human-environment action requires understanding of culture, behavior and environment. The cheap superstition is common than superstition involving high costs. Superstitions exists an irrational belief and as a culturally transmitted behavioural habit.