Sources
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-happiness-project/201309/who-knew-lucky-charms-actually-work
http://mentalfloss.com/article/514169/why-good-luck-charms-seem-work-according-science
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/25/psychology-donald-trump-win-luck-superstition
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=118131
https://www.elitedaily.com/life/good-luck-charms-work/1512385
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/superstitions-can-make-you/
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-26/edition-8/psychology-stuff-and-things
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_object
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reality-play/201207/being-amused-apophenia
https://psychologenie.com/apophenia-meaning-examples
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/psysociety/love-hate-what-s-the-difference/
https://psychologenie.com/apophenia-meaning-examples
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-the-name-love/200804/hating-the-one-you-love-i-hate-you-i-love-you
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-prove-it-really-is-a-thin-line-between-love-and-hate-976901.html
https://leadershipfreak.blog/2012/05/18/5-reasons-we-argue-when-we-agree/
https://exploringyourmind.com/feeling-love-hate-time/
http://mentalfloss.com/article/514169/why-good-luck-charms-seem-work-according-science
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jul/25/psychology-donald-trump-win-luck-superstition
https://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=118131
https://www.elitedaily.com/life/good-luck-charms-work/1512385
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/superstitions-can-make-you/
https://thepsychologist.bps.org.uk/volume-26/edition-8/psychology-stuff-and-things
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endowment_effect
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_object
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/reality-play/201207/being-amused-apophenia
https://psychologenie.com/apophenia-meaning-examples
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/psysociety/love-hate-what-s-the-difference/
https://psychologenie.com/apophenia-meaning-examples
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-the-name-love/200804/hating-the-one-you-love-i-hate-you-i-love-you
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/scientists-prove-it-really-is-a-thin-line-between-love-and-hate-976901.html
https://leadershipfreak.blog/2012/05/18/5-reasons-we-argue-when-we-agree/
https://exploringyourmind.com/feeling-love-hate-time/
Script
Object Power, Coincidence and Self Destruction - Mind Control (Part 1)
Hello, hello hello everybody and welcome to Sai-cology with me, Saira. Today we’re getting into MIND CONTROL! Woohoo! Today’s sub category is Object Power, Coincidence and Self-Destruction! Fun!
INTRO
Good Luck and Don’t Forget
So, you want to know the science behind “Good Luck Charms?” It’s magic! Well, Magical Thinking that is. This is the belief that an object, action or other circumstance not logically related to events can influence the outcome. So, with good luck charms having such power as winning the big game, doing well on a test or getting the job, it’s really more about the illusion of control. Those who believe they have good luck have greater self-efficacy and a better hold on their loci of control. Their optimism and confidence acts as a placebo effect and self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s not a guaranteed win, but it does help your performance as it’ll block out that fear of failure and lead to more risk taking and rewards.
Sidenote: you’ll start to notice as we get further along in the series you will start to see how all these principles and theories interact - Good Luck charms are about suggestibility, the placebo effect, self-efficacy and self fulfilling prophecies, all things that are a part of other categories and episodes of Sai-Cology - the more you know the more powerful your mind control powers will be MUHAHAHAHA….
Next, Talismen, or the power of objects over us.
People highly value things that they own, even if they have no material worth. This is thanks to the Endowment Effect, as well as our aversion to loss. People also have a tendency to find Comfort or Transition objects - this is best seen in childhood with a safety blanket or favorite stuffed animal but can work with adults too - it’s something constant as our lives change and grows. It can represent our loved ones, home, or culture - these are familiar things that help us feel safe or happy.
Objects in themselves are nothing without the meaning that our minds put on them. They act as focusing agents that remind our mind of the truth. Dependencies and habits like good luck charms or items we hold dear influence what we think about and focus on.
Coincidence
Apophenia is the value we see in patterns. We like to connect the dots and uncover relationships between everything we encounter. Having high apophenic tendencies is linked to creativity or thinking outside the box. This can lead in extreme cases to conspiracies or Type One Errors. But in other cases, save our lives if we recognize something isn’t right. Coincidence and apophenia is why we may see faces in random objects (also known as Pareidolia) , believe in luck, and other misperceptions of probability (gambler’s effect). These problems can further be extrapolated by Confirmation bias, or the bias that we want to confirm our own assumptions so we discard anything that conflicts. It is however not an error to think like this, it is how our brains were designed. It can help us make decisions, and find the truth and meaning of things in our lives.
Self-Destruction: Using People Against Themselves
Same Boat
When you disagree with someone, if you are completely the opposite of them, they’ll feel less motivated to try and convince you to take their side since they’ll feel you are unreachable or just too different. So, to make people agree with you, you need to appear to be on their side but with a few minor differences. For example, if you’re liberal and want to convince someone who is conservative why they should vote for Hillary, by coming out and saying you are liberal may shut them down to any talking. Instead, find some conservative beliefs that you agree with - and start with those then say why you chose for Hillary even though you do agree with some conservative beliefs. They’ll be more likely to listen to you if they feel that you are on their side, with slight differences, rather than being someone fundamentally unreachable.
This is what you want, right?
Another way is to use Unconditional Positive Regard to play Angel’s advocate. This is more commonly known as Reverse Psychology. If someone wants to do something, but you don’t want them to do it, instead of telling them no and giving them reasons why it is bad, encourage them strongly why it is a great idea, be even more enthusiastic than they are, so they will start having to play Devil’s advocate and start questioning if it really is a good idea.
“I think it’s a great idea, you should definitely get a pet alligator! I think the kids will love it and it’ll be super easy to maintain, just need to buy one of those inflatable pools…” The trick here is to be sincere-- if you say that sarcastically, it’ll only fuel the fire more.
Similar Situation Advice
When you want to give advice to someone, but they don’t seem particularly receptive to it, you can give indirect advice by bringing up a similar situation casually with parallel obstacles or morals. Because of our human nature to find pattern, the other person will hopefully connect the dots between the situations and take the advice, without even knowing it.
Love/Hate Circuit
If you want to see my sources or other cool psychology resources down below. Be sure to like, subscribe and hit that bell so you won’t miss the next episode and comment any questions thoughts or experiences you have. See you next time and remember, to behave yourself.
Hello, hello hello everybody and welcome to Sai-cology with me, Saira. Today we’re getting into MIND CONTROL! Woohoo! Today’s sub category is Object Power, Coincidence and Self-Destruction! Fun!
INTRO
Good Luck and Don’t Forget
So, you want to know the science behind “Good Luck Charms?” It’s magic! Well, Magical Thinking that is. This is the belief that an object, action or other circumstance not logically related to events can influence the outcome. So, with good luck charms having such power as winning the big game, doing well on a test or getting the job, it’s really more about the illusion of control. Those who believe they have good luck have greater self-efficacy and a better hold on their loci of control. Their optimism and confidence acts as a placebo effect and self-fulfilling prophecy. It’s not a guaranteed win, but it does help your performance as it’ll block out that fear of failure and lead to more risk taking and rewards.
Sidenote: you’ll start to notice as we get further along in the series you will start to see how all these principles and theories interact - Good Luck charms are about suggestibility, the placebo effect, self-efficacy and self fulfilling prophecies, all things that are a part of other categories and episodes of Sai-Cology - the more you know the more powerful your mind control powers will be MUHAHAHAHA….
Next, Talismen, or the power of objects over us.
People highly value things that they own, even if they have no material worth. This is thanks to the Endowment Effect, as well as our aversion to loss. People also have a tendency to find Comfort or Transition objects - this is best seen in childhood with a safety blanket or favorite stuffed animal but can work with adults too - it’s something constant as our lives change and grows. It can represent our loved ones, home, or culture - these are familiar things that help us feel safe or happy.
Objects in themselves are nothing without the meaning that our minds put on them. They act as focusing agents that remind our mind of the truth. Dependencies and habits like good luck charms or items we hold dear influence what we think about and focus on.
Coincidence
Apophenia is the value we see in patterns. We like to connect the dots and uncover relationships between everything we encounter. Having high apophenic tendencies is linked to creativity or thinking outside the box. This can lead in extreme cases to conspiracies or Type One Errors. But in other cases, save our lives if we recognize something isn’t right. Coincidence and apophenia is why we may see faces in random objects (also known as Pareidolia) , believe in luck, and other misperceptions of probability (gambler’s effect). These problems can further be extrapolated by Confirmation bias, or the bias that we want to confirm our own assumptions so we discard anything that conflicts. It is however not an error to think like this, it is how our brains were designed. It can help us make decisions, and find the truth and meaning of things in our lives.
Self-Destruction: Using People Against Themselves
Same Boat
When you disagree with someone, if you are completely the opposite of them, they’ll feel less motivated to try and convince you to take their side since they’ll feel you are unreachable or just too different. So, to make people agree with you, you need to appear to be on their side but with a few minor differences. For example, if you’re liberal and want to convince someone who is conservative why they should vote for Hillary, by coming out and saying you are liberal may shut them down to any talking. Instead, find some conservative beliefs that you agree with - and start with those then say why you chose for Hillary even though you do agree with some conservative beliefs. They’ll be more likely to listen to you if they feel that you are on their side, with slight differences, rather than being someone fundamentally unreachable.
This is what you want, right?
Another way is to use Unconditional Positive Regard to play Angel’s advocate. This is more commonly known as Reverse Psychology. If someone wants to do something, but you don’t want them to do it, instead of telling them no and giving them reasons why it is bad, encourage them strongly why it is a great idea, be even more enthusiastic than they are, so they will start having to play Devil’s advocate and start questioning if it really is a good idea.
“I think it’s a great idea, you should definitely get a pet alligator! I think the kids will love it and it’ll be super easy to maintain, just need to buy one of those inflatable pools…” The trick here is to be sincere-- if you say that sarcastically, it’ll only fuel the fire more.
Similar Situation Advice
When you want to give advice to someone, but they don’t seem particularly receptive to it, you can give indirect advice by bringing up a similar situation casually with parallel obstacles or morals. Because of our human nature to find pattern, the other person will hopefully connect the dots between the situations and take the advice, without even knowing it.
Love/Hate Circuit
- There is a saying out there that “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” and it really is true.
- Love and Hate are perceived as being opposites, but they really are next to each other in our thinking. Think of something you hate -- do you really hate it on it’s own or is it because it threatens something you love? Or those you love you may find you get more upset with and it is easier to hate them than a stranger? Why? Because you have more stakes and more care for the person you love, if they do something to upset you, you will be more upset because you have trust in them. It is easier to get someone to switch between love and hate than to make someone indifferent do either. So, if someone really hates you, finding out why may help them learn to love you… however if someone is indifferent to you, it may be hard to make them care about you enough either way.
If you want to see my sources or other cool psychology resources down below. Be sure to like, subscribe and hit that bell so you won’t miss the next episode and comment any questions thoughts or experiences you have. See you next time and remember, to behave yourself.