A study published in the current edition of the journal Psychological Science suggests that superstitions and good luck charms may actually improve performance on tasks by increasing confidence. German researchers recently tested 151 university students and found that those who had a good luck charm performed better on tasks than those without.
For the study, the research team asked the subjects to complete a puzzle in which 36 small balls were aligned into holes.
One group of subjects was timed starting with the click of a stop watch and another was timed starting with a phrase that translates to "I'll cross my fingers for you." A majority of those who started with the reassuring phrase completed the puzzle faster than those who did not.
The team also observed that those who kept lucky charms with them during the experiments were more likely to set their goals higher and approach each task with greater confidence.
In another experiment, students playing golf with what they believed to be a lucky ball performed better than those who believed they were playing with the same ball as everyone else.
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December 26, 2025 08:42 ET Third quarter economic growth data from some major economies including the U.S. were the main news in this holiday shortened week. GDP growth and industrial production data from the U.S. helped to boost morale, while the consumer confidence survey results were less upbeat. In Europe, the quarterly economic growth data from the U.K. drew attention, while the minutes of the Australian central bank’s latest policy session was in focus in Asia.