New study reveals that we can create our own luck. And it might not require wearing a thong (or killing that black cat).
Finally, science promotes male thongs. MLB Slugger Jason Giambi dons a tiger print thong to bring him luck—so much luck, in fact, that his teammates often beg to borrow it. A new study on sports superstition in Psychological Science suggests that if we wear our own g-strings, or any item of luck, our performances will also improve.
Lysann Damisch, a researcher at the University of Cologne, conducted a study examining the relationship between superstition and mental and athletic performance. In the first experiment, she tested putting skills. Before the test, researchers told half of the participants, “Here is your ball. So far it has turned out to be the lucky ball,” and the other half, simply, “This is the ball everyone has used so far.” Those granted the “lucky” ball drained significantly more putts than the unblessed ball.
In another experiment, each participant brought his own lucky totem—wedding rings, stones, argyle socks, and the like. Researchers then asked them to complete a memory game on a computer. But for half of the participants, the researchers confiscated their lucky charms before beginning the game. Results revealed that those who played with their lucky item both earned much higher scores and set higher goals than those without. (This design, however, seems a bit flawed. It may show less of the ease a lucky charm begets than it does the anxiety effects of when a psychologist steals your socks).
After a third experiment garnered similar results, Damisch concluded, “Activating a good-luck superstition leads to improved performance by boosting people’s belief in their ability to master a task.”
We’ve seen superstitions work for world-class athletes. We’ve seen it in the tattered Tar Heel shorts Jordan wore under his Bulls uniform and in the OCD batting routine of Nomar Garciapara. Then there’s Olympic long track speed skate medalist Derek Perra, who eats a box of Fig Newtons (1,540 calories and 168 grams of sugar, if he really eats the whole box) the night before each race.
But now that psychologists have shown superstitions work for the everyman (well at least for undergrads in western Germany), we now have validation for our own trinkets and rituals.
Besides Angels in the Outfield and German national team coach Joachim Loew’s cashmere v-neck sweater, lucky charms are less about magic and more about mental relaxation and confidence raising. With a self-prescribed “lucky” item or habit, we feel more comfortable, which simultaneously eliminates negative thoughts and frees mental energy to focus on the task at hand. They’re like a shot of espresso, without the jittery effects.
You don’t need to buy a thong (or borrow your friend’s) to get lucky. This month’s Esquire suggests skipping before a stressful, skill-required task. You just need a thing your enjoy, or a ritual you enjoy doing. Whether sinking a game-tieing free throw, landing that sales contract, or making it home in time for dinner, a little superstition goes a long way in getting your brain in top form.
—Zak Jason
Man, been years since I’ve seen that. I just realized how SLOW Tim Robbins throws.