Why Even Some Smart People Are Superstitious

Today, when science and rational thought are extolled, why are many people still superstitious? 

And as University of Chicago behavioral scientist Jane Risen documents, 

Superstitions are not limited to individuals with mental deficits. More than half of surveyed Americans, for example, admit to knocking on wood and almost one in four avoid walking under ladders. Approximately one-third of surveyed college students regularly engage in exam-related superstitions.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I offer a number of possible explanations. 

The Peter Pan Syndrome

Many clients come to me thinking they'd be successful if only they had an idea for a more exciting career.

In fact, there usually are other causes for lack of success, many of which boil down to what I call the Peter Pan Syndrome: They won't grow up.

In my PsychologyToday.com article today, I describe the Peter Pan Syndrome's most common manifestations.