A recent study has shown that superstitious beliefs can also increase a person's confidence in their abilities and talents. Participants who were given lucky charms set higher goals for what they wanted to achieve in their tasks and said they felt more confident in their abilities. (http://channel.nationalgeographic.com). Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The term superstition is thought to derive from the Latin superstitio, meaning “to stand in awe.” The term is also related to the Latin word superstes (“to survive” or “to survive”). In this sense it refers to the remnants of ideas and beliefs that continued long after their original meaning had been forgotten. For this reason, superstitions are often considered relics of outdated ways of thinking. (www.newworldencyclopedia.org). A large number of people firmly believe in the bad luck that comes after breaking a mirror, meeting a black cat or choosing the number 13. Some people believe that walking under a ladder can bring bad luck, others believe that four clovers bring good luck or that they bring a rabbit's foot. The question now is why people believe these things. We have had superstitions since the beginning of time and they will remain with us until the end. They are powerful and can influence people on how to behave and act in everyday life. They are also very mysterious. The most common superstition around the world is about black cats in the night. You tremble or feel scared when you encounter a black cat. The ancient belief dates back to when cats were thought to be companions of witches and would transform into witches or Satan after seven years of work. So people assume that a cat that crosses your path could be a witch or a devil up to no good. Another common superstition is that it is said to bring seven years of bad luck. Breaking a mirror. Long before mirrors were invented, a smooth/shiny surface was considered an instrument of the gods. For example, water in ponds and lakes. One day a man was wandering and saw his reflection in the water, he called it his soul or other self and believed that if his other self was disturbed in any way it would mean hurting the soul. Well, right now you're probably thinking: why 7 years of bad luck? For a broken mirror meant broken health. It was thought it would take seven years to recover. Most people believe that superstitious beliefs originated in the early days of humanity. Faced with natural phenomena such as storms and earthquakes, as well as the unpredictability of disease and food supplies, humans attempted to create an understandable world that could be influenced by action. The first superstitions were created as a way to deal with the fear of the unknown. Many also believe that superstitions can be learned behaviors. Children who observe people around them performing superstitious actions such as "knocking on wood" or not walking under the stairs may engage in these behaviors. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay True Origins Some superstitions can be centuries old having been passed down from generation to generation through an observational learning process. Superstitions often arise from random coincidences. For example, if an athlete wears a particular pair of socks one day, he or she wins or does really well. He or she can continue to wear the same one.