Repetitious, Time-Intensive Magical Rituals Considered More Effective, Study Shows

AUSTIN, Texas — Even in this modern age of science, people are likely to find logic in supernatural rituals that require a high degree of time and effort, according to new research from The University of Texas at Austin. The study, published in the June issue of Cognition , is the first psychological analysis of how people of various cultures evaluate the efficacy of ritual beliefs. The findings provide new insight into cognitive reasoning processes - and how people intuitively make sense out of the unknown. "One of the most remarkable characteristics of human cognition is the capacity to use supernatural reasoning to explain the world around us," said Cristine Legare, an assistant professor in the Department of Psychology at The University of Texas at Austin. "We argue that the characteristics of ritual are the product of an evolved cognitive system." Cause-and-effect thinking is critical to human survival, Legare said. So it's natural for people to find logic in supernatural rituals that emphasize repetition and procedural steps. If doing something once has some effect, then repeating it must have a greater effect.