Even when patterns do not exist, the mind tries to create them.
This tendency is called apophenia—the perception of meaningful connections between unrelated events.
Superstitions often emerge from this cognitive behavior.
For example:
Someone breaks a mirror → later has a bad day → connects the two events
A black cat crosses the road → something unlucky happens later → association is formed
Over time, repeated associations strengthen belief.
Even if the connection is purely coincidental, the brain remembers the emotional impact, not the logic.
This is why superstitions persist even in highly educated societies.
Fear as a Tool of Belief
Warnings like “ignore this and suffer 12 years of bad luck” rely heavily on fear.
Fear is one of the strongest human emotions.
It influences decision-making faster than logic or reasoning.
When people encounter a threatening message, even a symbolic one, their brain reacts instinctively:
“What if it’s true?”
“Better not take the risk.”
“Just in case, I’ll follow it.”
This is exactly why such warnings spread quickly online.
They do not need to be believable—they only need to trigger emotional uncertainty.
