Bad luck really can be reversed by touching wood ritual, say scientists

Bad luck really can be reversed by rituals such as touching wood and throwing salt, a study has suggested. Researchers have discovered that people's elevated concerns after tempting fate can be eliminated if they engage in a ritual that involves exerting force away from themselves.

They found that engaging in the physical action can help eradicate a vivid mental image of the negative event, by literally pushing it away, making it less likely to happen. The study, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, explained that people believe that negative outcomes are especially likely after a jinx.

If someone says, "No one I know will ever get into a car accident," for example, it often feels that a car accident is likely to occur. But people's elevated concerns after tempting fate can be eliminated if they engage in a ritual to undo that bad luck. Read more here

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