Superstitious beliefs and rituals in sport: Association with locus of control, anxiety and demographic characteristics

Abstract

Superstitious beliefs refer to the belief in phenomena that contradict basic principles of scientific thought. Superstitious rituals reflect a stable and repeated behavior which is irrelevant to the sporting activity. In the present review findings of the international literature are presented regarding the use of superstitious beliefs and rituals in sporting contexts. Their use is heavily affected by athletes’ locus of control and anxiety. There are gender differences, mainly in the type of rituals used. In addition, there are differences depending on the type of sport and the playing position of the athlete. Finally, directions for future research are providing to more thoroughly investigate superstitious beliefs and the application of superstitious rituals in sport.