A superstition is "a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation" or "an irrational abject attitude of mind toward the supernatural, nature, or God resulting from superstition."[1][2] Often, it arises from ignorance, a misunderstanding of science or causality, a belief in fate or magic, or fear of that which is unknown. It is commonly applied to beliefs and practices surrounding luck, prophecy, and certain spiritual beings, particularly the belief that future events can be foretold by specific (apparently) unrelated prior events.[3][4] The word superstition is often used to refer to a religion not practiced by the majority of a given society regardless of whether the prevailing religion contains alleged superstitions.[3]

Global

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Africa

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Americas

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Asia

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India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh

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China

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Japan

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Korea

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Philippines

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Thailand

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Other

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Europe

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See also

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Notes

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References

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  1. ^ cf. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/superstition
  2. ^ Drinkwater, Ken; Dagnall, Neil. "The science of superstition – and why people believe in the unbelievable". The Conversation. Retrieved 21 September 2020.
  3. ^ a b Vyse, Stuart A. (2000). Believing in Magic: The Psychology of Superstition. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. pp. 19–22. ISBN 978-0-1951-3634-0.
  4. ^ Chardonnens, L. S. (1 January 2007). Chapter Four. Superstition and prognostication. Brill. ISBN 978-90-474-2042-2.

Further reading

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