Speaking of good-luck charms, a study at the University of Cologne found in four different experiments with four different tasks that people did better when they believed that they somehow had Lady Luck on their side. For example, they did better when they had their lucky charm with them than when they didn’t.
If lucky charms work then it’s reasonable to buy them. I explained why it’s helpful in an evolutionary (i.e., long-term) sense to buy them: long ago, the resources paid for them supported technological innovation.
Via Bad Science.
Isn’t this just a placebo effect, or is there a subtle difference?
Jim
The Luck Factor claims there’s research showing that people who think of themselves as lucky are more likely to notice opportunities.