Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.001.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In children, magical thinking has traditionally been viewed as an immature form of thinking that is destined to diminish with age. With some exceptions, the study of magical thinking and magical ...
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In children, magical thinking has traditionally been viewed as an immature form of thinking that is destined to diminish with age. With some exceptions, the study of magical thinking and magical beliefs in adults has mostly remained on the fringes of psychology, along with the study of such topics as superstitions, anomalistic beliefs, and parapsychology. In this book, I argue that the role of magical thinking in child development and in adult life should be reconsidered. In children, magical thinking is an important part of cognitive development. In adults, magical thinking and magical beliefs assist individuals as they struggle with situations that are beyond rational control. There is evidence that suggestive techniques used in politics, commercial advertising, and psychotherapies target magical thinking and magical beliefs. In this book, the mechanisms and development of magical thinking and beliefs throughout the lifespan are discussed.Less
In children, magical thinking has traditionally been viewed as an immature form of thinking that is destined to diminish with age. With some exceptions, the study of magical thinking and magical beliefs in adults has mostly remained on the fringes of psychology, along with the study of such topics as superstitions, anomalistic beliefs, and parapsychology. In this book, I argue that the role of magical thinking in child development and in adult life should be reconsidered. In children, magical thinking is an important part of cognitive development. In adults, magical thinking and magical beliefs assist individuals as they struggle with situations that are beyond rational control. There is evidence that suggestive techniques used in politics, commercial advertising, and psychotherapies target magical thinking and magical beliefs. In this book, the mechanisms and development of magical thinking and beliefs throughout the lifespan are discussed.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0002
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In Chapter 2 (“Children and Magic”), various issues of magical beliefs in children are discussed. It starts with a brief analysis of Piaget's famous description of magical reasoning in children. It ...
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In Chapter 2 (“Children and Magic”), various issues of magical beliefs in children are discussed. It starts with a brief analysis of Piaget's famous description of magical reasoning in children. It then presents the data of recent experiments with preschool children that demonstrate children's beliefs in magic. Essentially, these experiments show that by the age of 4 years, in their verbal judgments, most preschoolers are skeptical toward the possibility of “mind-over-matter” magic, yet in their actions, they behave as if they really believe in magic. Various alternative interpretations of children's “magical” behaviors are analyzed, and follow-up experiments are presented that allow one to overrule the argument that preschool children do not yet have the idea of “true magic” and confuse magical effects with magic tricks.Less
In Chapter 2 (“Children and Magic”), various issues of magical beliefs in children are discussed. It starts with a brief analysis of Piaget's famous description of magical reasoning in children. It then presents the data of recent experiments with preschool children that demonstrate children's beliefs in magic. Essentially, these experiments show that by the age of 4 years, in their verbal judgments, most preschoolers are skeptical toward the possibility of “mind-over-matter” magic, yet in their actions, they behave as if they really believe in magic. Various alternative interpretations of children's “magical” behaviors are analyzed, and follow-up experiments are presented that allow one to overrule the argument that preschool children do not yet have the idea of “true magic” and confuse magical effects with magic tricks.
Robert C. Solomon
- Published in print:
- 2006
- Published Online:
- September 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780195181579
- eISBN:
- 9780199786602
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0195181573.003.0004
- Subject:
- Philosophy, History of Philosophy
Sartre’s early essay, “The Emotions”, was a frontal attack on the two most prominent theories of emotion in the early 20th century, those of William James and Sigmund Freud. This chapter examines ...
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Sartre’s early essay, “The Emotions”, was a frontal attack on the two most prominent theories of emotion in the early 20th century, those of William James and Sigmund Freud. This chapter examines Sartre’s arguments against James and Freud and discusses and criticizes Sartre’s own analysis of emotions as “magical transformations of the world”.Less
Sartre’s early essay, “The Emotions”, was a frontal attack on the two most prominent theories of emotion in the early 20th century, those of William James and Sigmund Freud. This chapter examines Sartre’s arguments against James and Freud and discusses and criticizes Sartre’s own analysis of emotions as “magical transformations of the world”.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0012
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 12 (“Magical Thinking and Beliefs Across the Lifespan: A Summary”) gives an overview the data reviewed in the book and presents a new theory about the development of ...
More
Chapter 12 (“Magical Thinking and Beliefs Across the Lifespan: A Summary”) gives an overview the data reviewed in the book and presents a new theory about the development of magical thinking and behavior across the lifespan. Initially, belief in magic was viewed as a phenomenon specific to childhood. Increasingly, however, it has been argued that magical beliefs, while diminishing in older children's and adults' verbal judgments, can persist in their behavioral responses. In light of research discussed in this book, it can be argued that the development of magical beliefs conforms to a more complex model. Chased by science and religion, children's early magical beliefs descend into the subconscious. Most adults consistently deny such beliefs. They also develop a fear of magical intervention that results in the psychological defense mechanisms. In spite of this, under certain circumstances, magical beliefs are consciously accepted. One form of admitting magical beliefs into one's consciousness while not contradicting the dominant scientific paradigm at the same time is curiosity and exploration. Another form of “legal existence” of magical beliefs is transformation and disguise: by throwing off their explicit link with magic, certain mechanisms of magical thinking survive today under pseudonyms such as fear of contagion, feelings of disgust, and, in communicative magic, obedience, conformity, and suggestibility.Less
Chapter 12 (“Magical Thinking and Beliefs Across the Lifespan: A Summary”) gives an overview the data reviewed in the book and presents a new theory about the development of magical thinking and behavior across the lifespan. Initially, belief in magic was viewed as a phenomenon specific to childhood. Increasingly, however, it has been argued that magical beliefs, while diminishing in older children's and adults' verbal judgments, can persist in their behavioral responses. In light of research discussed in this book, it can be argued that the development of magical beliefs conforms to a more complex model. Chased by science and religion, children's early magical beliefs descend into the subconscious. Most adults consistently deny such beliefs. They also develop a fear of magical intervention that results in the psychological defense mechanisms. In spite of this, under certain circumstances, magical beliefs are consciously accepted. One form of admitting magical beliefs into one's consciousness while not contradicting the dominant scientific paradigm at the same time is curiosity and exploration. Another form of “legal existence” of magical beliefs is transformation and disguise: by throwing off their explicit link with magic, certain mechanisms of magical thinking survive today under pseudonyms such as fear of contagion, feelings of disgust, and, in communicative magic, obedience, conformity, and suggestibility.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0001
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 1 (“Magical Reality”) covers conceptual issues. Despite the popular view that the concept of “real magic” is a contradiction in terms, the point is made that not only can ...
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Chapter 1 (“Magical Reality”) covers conceptual issues. Despite the popular view that the concept of “real magic” is a contradiction in terms, the point is made that not only can the concept of “true magic” be given a strict definition but also that truly magical events do indeed happen, at least in the domains of children's play, children's and adult's fantasy, dreams, and art. The conceptual difference between magic and science is discussed. It is argued that, despite the fact that modern science achieved remarkable results in producing effects that in the previous centuries would be viewed as magical (transmitting visual images and sounds remotely, flying in the air and space), there is still a fundamental difference between these effects and true magic. Various instances of magical events (such as “coming to life magic,” “nonpermanence magic,” and “sympathetic magic”) are analyzed. The generic concepts of magic—the “mind-over-matter” and “mind-over-mind”—are defined. The relationship between concepts of magic and religion is discussed. The concepts of institutionalized and noninstitutionalized magical beliefs are introduced. The state of the problem is discussed, and the aim of this book is defined. The chapter finishes with hypotheses and predictions.Less
Chapter 1 (“Magical Reality”) covers conceptual issues. Despite the popular view that the concept of “real magic” is a contradiction in terms, the point is made that not only can the concept of “true magic” be given a strict definition but also that truly magical events do indeed happen, at least in the domains of children's play, children's and adult's fantasy, dreams, and art. The conceptual difference between magic and science is discussed. It is argued that, despite the fact that modern science achieved remarkable results in producing effects that in the previous centuries would be viewed as magical (transmitting visual images and sounds remotely, flying in the air and space), there is still a fundamental difference between these effects and true magic. Various instances of magical events (such as “coming to life magic,” “nonpermanence magic,” and “sympathetic magic”) are analyzed. The generic concepts of magic—the “mind-over-matter” and “mind-over-mind”—are defined. The relationship between concepts of magic and religion is discussed. The concepts of institutionalized and noninstitutionalized magical beliefs are introduced. The state of the problem is discussed, and the aim of this book is defined. The chapter finishes with hypotheses and predictions.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0005
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 5 (“Beyond Childhood”) presents anthropological and psychological research on magical thinking in adults. It argues not only that magical thinking does not disappear in ...
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Chapter 5 (“Beyond Childhood”) presents anthropological and psychological research on magical thinking in adults. It argues not only that magical thinking does not disappear in adults, but also that it, in fact, develops and diversifies. On one hand, magical thinking thrives in the domain of subconsciously based mechanisms, such as disgust or fear of contagion (Paul Rozin, Carol Nemeroff). The effects of thought–action fusion (TAF) and obsessive-compulsive thinking are also based on sympathetic magic. In clinical research, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that schizophrenic patients tend to engage in magically based compulsive thinking to a considerably larger extent than both the general population and nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients. Altogether, these studies present magical thinking as scattered on a scale from helpful protective reactions (for example, disgust or fear of contagion) to the reactions of a troubled mind, as in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The chapter then presents experiments demonstrating that, under certain circumstances, modern educated adults could indeed display magical beliefs, and not only at the level of subconscious reactions, but also at the level of full consciousness and critical capacity.Less
Chapter 5 (“Beyond Childhood”) presents anthropological and psychological research on magical thinking in adults. It argues not only that magical thinking does not disappear in adults, but also that it, in fact, develops and diversifies. On one hand, magical thinking thrives in the domain of subconsciously based mechanisms, such as disgust or fear of contagion (Paul Rozin, Carol Nemeroff). The effects of thought–action fusion (TAF) and obsessive-compulsive thinking are also based on sympathetic magic. In clinical research, it has been repeatedly demonstrated that schizophrenic patients tend to engage in magically based compulsive thinking to a considerably larger extent than both the general population and nonschizophrenic psychiatric patients. Altogether, these studies present magical thinking as scattered on a scale from helpful protective reactions (for example, disgust or fear of contagion) to the reactions of a troubled mind, as in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The chapter then presents experiments demonstrating that, under certain circumstances, modern educated adults could indeed display magical beliefs, and not only at the level of subconscious reactions, but also at the level of full consciousness and critical capacity.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0008
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In Chapter 8 (“Magical Thinking and Imagination”), the issue of how magical thinking works in the domain of nonphysical (imagined) reality is analyzed. The chapter begins with an overview of studies ...
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In Chapter 8 (“Magical Thinking and Imagination”), the issue of how magical thinking works in the domain of nonphysical (imagined) reality is analyzed. The chapter begins with an overview of studies on children's understanding the difference between physical and mental objects, and then continues with experiments on children's and adults' preparedness to accept that real or imagined objects could be changed by a magic spell. The most interesting result of these experiments was that, unlike children, adults reported that magical manipulations had little effect on both real and their imagined physical objects, but had a strong effect on their imagined fantastical objects. Further experiments showed that participants' personally significant imagined (PERSIM) objects, such as their images of their future lives, were particularly strongly affected by the experimenter's magical manipulations. This result fits within the domain of “mind-over-mind” type of magic.Less
In Chapter 8 (“Magical Thinking and Imagination”), the issue of how magical thinking works in the domain of nonphysical (imagined) reality is analyzed. The chapter begins with an overview of studies on children's understanding the difference between physical and mental objects, and then continues with experiments on children's and adults' preparedness to accept that real or imagined objects could be changed by a magic spell. The most interesting result of these experiments was that, unlike children, adults reported that magical manipulations had little effect on both real and their imagined physical objects, but had a strong effect on their imagined fantastical objects. Further experiments showed that participants' personally significant imagined (PERSIM) objects, such as their images of their future lives, were particularly strongly affected by the experimenter's magical manipulations. This result fits within the domain of “mind-over-mind” type of magic.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0009
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 9 (“Magic and Human Communication”) concentrates on theoretical and experimental research on “mind-over-mind” magic. Referring to anthropological data, it argues that in ...
More
Chapter 9 (“Magic and Human Communication”) concentrates on theoretical and experimental research on “mind-over-mind” magic. Referring to anthropological data, it argues that in the early historic stages, magical influence on people (for the purpose of healing or bringing harm) was based on suggestion and autosuggestion. With the onset of scientific ideology, overt magical rituals were discarded, yet suggestion remains the most effective mechanism of manipulation in politics, commerce, and psychotherapy. This brings one to the assumption that ordinary suggestion today may be based on the same psychological mechanism, as was magical suggestion in the times before science. Experiments are presented that show that this common mechanism—participation—does indeed exist. This fact has important implications for understanding the psychological-historical continuity of the control over minds. If magical and ordinary types of suggestion are based on the same psychological mechanism—participation—then suggestive persuasion techniques used in political rhetoric and commercial advertising today may be viewed as historically evolving from magical practices. Viewed in this light, suggestion is literally the magic of today.Less
Chapter 9 (“Magic and Human Communication”) concentrates on theoretical and experimental research on “mind-over-mind” magic. Referring to anthropological data, it argues that in the early historic stages, magical influence on people (for the purpose of healing or bringing harm) was based on suggestion and autosuggestion. With the onset of scientific ideology, overt magical rituals were discarded, yet suggestion remains the most effective mechanism of manipulation in politics, commerce, and psychotherapy. This brings one to the assumption that ordinary suggestion today may be based on the same psychological mechanism, as was magical suggestion in the times before science. Experiments are presented that show that this common mechanism—participation—does indeed exist. This fact has important implications for understanding the psychological-historical continuity of the control over minds. If magical and ordinary types of suggestion are based on the same psychological mechanism—participation—then suggestive persuasion techniques used in political rhetoric and commercial advertising today may be viewed as historically evolving from magical practices. Viewed in this light, suggestion is literally the magic of today.
Ariel Glucklich
- Published in print:
- 1997
- Published Online:
- October 2011
- ISBN:
- 9780195108798
- eISBN:
- 9780199853434
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195108798.003.0016
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
The voices of magicians are rich with sacred power that is renowned as mantra. Magicians accept the fact that mantra encompasses manifest and hidden divine forces and holds recoiled magical ...
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The voices of magicians are rich with sacred power that is renowned as mantra. Magicians accept the fact that mantra encompasses manifest and hidden divine forces and holds recoiled magical efficacies that are released by experts. Magical sounds are hardly limited to India, of course. “Abracadabra” and “hocus pocus” have become synonymous with magic itself. Just as the mantra is ubiquitous in India, spells, charms, and incantations are everywhere else around the world. The act of reciting or chanting—word meanings aside—must be explained by reference to a general theory. A reductive explanation, like James Frazer's imitative principle, must be applied to this strange, though universal, human behavior. The majority of those who practice magical healing in Banaras regard mantra as the most powerful tool in their bag. Objects used in magical rites in Banaras range from water and stones to clay and metal pots, hammers, string, amulets made of numerous types of objects, and paper.Less
The voices of magicians are rich with sacred power that is renowned as mantra. Magicians accept the fact that mantra encompasses manifest and hidden divine forces and holds recoiled magical efficacies that are released by experts. Magical sounds are hardly limited to India, of course. “Abracadabra” and “hocus pocus” have become synonymous with magic itself. Just as the mantra is ubiquitous in India, spells, charms, and incantations are everywhere else around the world. The act of reciting or chanting—word meanings aside—must be explained by reference to a general theory. A reductive explanation, like James Frazer's imitative principle, must be applied to this strange, though universal, human behavior. The majority of those who practice magical healing in Banaras regard mantra as the most powerful tool in their bag. Objects used in magical rites in Banaras range from water and stones to clay and metal pots, hammers, string, amulets made of numerous types of objects, and paper.
Robert Sallares
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- September 2007
- ISBN:
- 9780199248506
- eISBN:
- 9780191714634
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199248506.001.0001
- Subject:
- Classical Studies, European History: BCE to 500CE
This book is the first comprehensive study of malaria in ancient Italy since the research of the distinguished Italian malariologist, Angelo Celli, in the early 20th century. It demonstrates the ...
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This book is the first comprehensive study of malaria in ancient Italy since the research of the distinguished Italian malariologist, Angelo Celli, in the early 20th century. It demonstrates the importance of disease patterns in understanding ancient human demography. It argues that malaria became prevalent in Roman times in central Italy as a result of environmental changes, such as deforestation and the spread of certain types of mosquitoes. Using contemporary sources and comparative material from other periods, it is suggested that malaria had a significant effect on mortality rates in certain regions of Roman Italy. All the important advances made in many relevant fields since Celli’s time are incorporated. These include geomorphological research on the development of the coastal environments of Italy that were notorious for malaria in the past; biomolecular research on the evolution of malaria; ancient biomolecules as a new source of evidence for palaeodisease; the differentiation of mosquito species that permits understanding of the phenomenon of anophelism without malaria; and recent medical research on the interactions between malaria and other diseases. In addition to its medical and demographic effects, the social and economic effects of malaria are also considered, for example on settlement patterns and agricultural systems. The varied human responses to and interpretations of malaria in antiquity, ranging from the attempts at rational understanding made by the Hippocratic authors and Galen to the demons described in the magical papyri, are also examined.Less
This book is the first comprehensive study of malaria in ancient Italy since the research of the distinguished Italian malariologist, Angelo Celli, in the early 20th century. It demonstrates the importance of disease patterns in understanding ancient human demography. It argues that malaria became prevalent in Roman times in central Italy as a result of environmental changes, such as deforestation and the spread of certain types of mosquitoes. Using contemporary sources and comparative material from other periods, it is suggested that malaria had a significant effect on mortality rates in certain regions of Roman Italy. All the important advances made in many relevant fields since Celli’s time are incorporated. These include geomorphological research on the development of the coastal environments of Italy that were notorious for malaria in the past; biomolecular research on the evolution of malaria; ancient biomolecules as a new source of evidence for palaeodisease; the differentiation of mosquito species that permits understanding of the phenomenon of anophelism without malaria; and recent medical research on the interactions between malaria and other diseases. In addition to its medical and demographic effects, the social and economic effects of malaria are also considered, for example on settlement patterns and agricultural systems. The varied human responses to and interpretations of malaria in antiquity, ranging from the attempts at rational understanding made by the Hippocratic authors and Galen to the demons described in the magical papyri, are also examined.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0003
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In Chapter 3 (“Verbal Magical Beliefs and Children's Everyday Experience”), the problem of entrenchment of magical beliefs in children of various ages is examined. The development of magical beliefs ...
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In Chapter 3 (“Verbal Magical Beliefs and Children's Everyday Experience”), the problem of entrenchment of magical beliefs in children of various ages is examined. The development of magical beliefs in children is put in the context of a more general model of people's reaction to anomalous events, both in the sciences (Kuhn, Lacatos) and in school education (Chinn & Brewer). This allowed one to consider the transition from magical to scientific thinking in children as an instance of a “revolution” in children's causal thinking about the world. Experiments are presented that examine when and how this fundamental transition from magical to scientific thinking occurs, and whether this transition is a complete replacement of one kind of causal orientation with the alternative kind or is domain specific and covers only knowledge about the physical world, whereas in other areas (such as fantasy, play, or human relations) magic thinking persists to older ages. In contrast to most previous studies, in these experiments, special care was taken to ensure that children understood the difference between “true magic” and “fake magic” (i.e., magic tricks).Less
In Chapter 3 (“Verbal Magical Beliefs and Children's Everyday Experience”), the problem of entrenchment of magical beliefs in children of various ages is examined. The development of magical beliefs in children is put in the context of a more general model of people's reaction to anomalous events, both in the sciences (Kuhn, Lacatos) and in school education (Chinn & Brewer). This allowed one to consider the transition from magical to scientific thinking in children as an instance of a “revolution” in children's causal thinking about the world. Experiments are presented that examine when and how this fundamental transition from magical to scientific thinking occurs, and whether this transition is a complete replacement of one kind of causal orientation with the alternative kind or is domain specific and covers only knowledge about the physical world, whereas in other areas (such as fantasy, play, or human relations) magic thinking persists to older ages. In contrast to most previous studies, in these experiments, special care was taken to ensure that children understood the difference between “true magic” and “fake magic” (i.e., magic tricks).
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0004
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In Chapter 4 (“Magical Thinking and Children's Cognitive Development”), the relationships between children's magical thinking and more traditional aspects of their cognitive development are ...
More
In Chapter 4 (“Magical Thinking and Children's Cognitive Development”), the relationships between children's magical thinking and more traditional aspects of their cognitive development are discussed. Indeed, despite the fact that multinational industries (such as toy production and entertainment) exploit and support magical beliefs in children and many TV programs for children show magical characters, surprisingly little is known about the effects of magical thinking and magical beliefs on children's cognitive and social development. Is involvement in magical thinking confined to the department of entertainment, or has it also to do with more practical aspects of children's lives, such as learning and social communication? It is hypothesized that magical thinking does indeed positively affect children's cognitive development, by enhancing creative divergent thinking in children. Experiments are presented that demonstrate that exposing children to a movie containing strong magical effects increased their performance on creativity tasks to a significantly larger extent than did exposing a control group of children to a similar movie but without any reference to magic.Less
In Chapter 4 (“Magical Thinking and Children's Cognitive Development”), the relationships between children's magical thinking and more traditional aspects of their cognitive development are discussed. Indeed, despite the fact that multinational industries (such as toy production and entertainment) exploit and support magical beliefs in children and many TV programs for children show magical characters, surprisingly little is known about the effects of magical thinking and magical beliefs on children's cognitive and social development. Is involvement in magical thinking confined to the department of entertainment, or has it also to do with more practical aspects of children's lives, such as learning and social communication? It is hypothesized that magical thinking does indeed positively affect children's cognitive development, by enhancing creative divergent thinking in children. Experiments are presented that demonstrate that exposing children to a movie containing strong magical effects increased their performance on creativity tasks to a significantly larger extent than did exposing a control group of children to a similar movie but without any reference to magic.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0006
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
In Chapter 6 (“Culture and Magical Thinking”), social and cultural factors in adults' magical beliefs are considered. With reference to relevant studies, the point is made that despite fundamental ...
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In Chapter 6 (“Culture and Magical Thinking”), social and cultural factors in adults' magical beliefs are considered. With reference to relevant studies, the point is made that despite fundamental changes in cultural beliefs about the structure of the world in the last centuries, it can be the case that an average Western individual, at a certain level, remains relatively unaffected by these changes. For instance, the official culture and education can become increasingly dominated by beliefs in the overwhelming power of science and technology, yet many individuals in this culture can still entertain causal beliefs that are incompatible with scientific views. In this case, the individual can only be superficially affected by the changes in culture. On the level of intuitive beliefs, however, many contemporary Western individuals are not crucially different from individuals of the earlier historic epochs in their tendency to accept beliefs in magic and the supernatural. Experiments are presented that examine this hypothesis in a cross-cultural study in which magical beliefs in Mexico (a culture that has traditionally been tolerant of magical beliefs) and Britain were compared.Less
In Chapter 6 (“Culture and Magical Thinking”), social and cultural factors in adults' magical beliefs are considered. With reference to relevant studies, the point is made that despite fundamental changes in cultural beliefs about the structure of the world in the last centuries, it can be the case that an average Western individual, at a certain level, remains relatively unaffected by these changes. For instance, the official culture and education can become increasingly dominated by beliefs in the overwhelming power of science and technology, yet many individuals in this culture can still entertain causal beliefs that are incompatible with scientific views. In this case, the individual can only be superficially affected by the changes in culture. On the level of intuitive beliefs, however, many contemporary Western individuals are not crucially different from individuals of the earlier historic epochs in their tendency to accept beliefs in magic and the supernatural. Experiments are presented that examine this hypothesis in a cross-cultural study in which magical beliefs in Mexico (a culture that has traditionally been tolerant of magical beliefs) and Britain were compared.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0007
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 7 (“Magic and Exploratory Behavior”) analyzes another aspect of magical thinking: children's and adults' curiosity toward magic. It must be emphasized that curiosity toward ...
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Chapter 7 (“Magic and Exploratory Behavior”) analyzes another aspect of magical thinking: children's and adults' curiosity toward magic. It must be emphasized that curiosity toward magic does not necessarily involve an explicit belief in magic and vice versa. Indeed, a person can believe in magic and yet be afraid of it and reluctant to explore this belief. Conversely, a person may treat the possibility of magic with skepticism and yet be curious toward magic and willing to explore whether magic can be a real thing. It was hypothesized on this ground that, all other conditions being equal, a novel and unusual event elicits stronger curiosity and exploratory behavior if its suggested explanation involves an element of the supernatural (magical) than if it does not (the magical over counterintuitive physical [M/CP] effect). Experiments are presented that show that the M/CP effect does in fact play a role, and that this effect works both in children and adults.Less
Chapter 7 (“Magic and Exploratory Behavior”) analyzes another aspect of magical thinking: children's and adults' curiosity toward magic. It must be emphasized that curiosity toward magic does not necessarily involve an explicit belief in magic and vice versa. Indeed, a person can believe in magic and yet be afraid of it and reluctant to explore this belief. Conversely, a person may treat the possibility of magic with skepticism and yet be curious toward magic and willing to explore whether magic can be a real thing. It was hypothesized on this ground that, all other conditions being equal, a novel and unusual event elicits stronger curiosity and exploratory behavior if its suggested explanation involves an element of the supernatural (magical) than if it does not (the magical over counterintuitive physical [M/CP] effect). Experiments are presented that show that the M/CP effect does in fact play a role, and that this effect works both in children and adults.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0010
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 10 (“Magical Beliefs and Psychological Defense”) considers defense strategies that people use to protect themselves against magical suggestion. Indeed, being totally ...
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Chapter 10 (“Magical Beliefs and Psychological Defense”) considers defense strategies that people use to protect themselves against magical suggestion. Indeed, being totally vulnerable to suggestion would mean living in an unsafe world that lacks order and predictability. Experiments are presented and discussed that show some of these strategies. For example, cognitive defense against magical suggestion is demonstrated in the experiment when participants involuntarily distort the order of events that happened in their full view just a few seconds before, with the aim to discard a magical (impossible) event and reinterpret it as an ordinary (possible) event. A more effective emotional defense was observed when participants (graduate and undergraduate students) were asked to select a practical task that they would like to improve on (such as writing essays or speaking foreign languages) and then it was magically suggested that they would improve on it. In 2 weeks' time, in the magical suggestion condition, a significantly larger number of participants reported having no improvement than in the control condition, in which no suggestion had been made.Less
Chapter 10 (“Magical Beliefs and Psychological Defense”) considers defense strategies that people use to protect themselves against magical suggestion. Indeed, being totally vulnerable to suggestion would mean living in an unsafe world that lacks order and predictability. Experiments are presented and discussed that show some of these strategies. For example, cognitive defense against magical suggestion is demonstrated in the experiment when participants involuntarily distort the order of events that happened in their full view just a few seconds before, with the aim to discard a magical (impossible) event and reinterpret it as an ordinary (possible) event. A more effective emotional defense was observed when participants (graduate and undergraduate students) were asked to select a practical task that they would like to improve on (such as writing essays or speaking foreign languages) and then it was magically suggested that they would improve on it. In 2 weeks' time, in the magical suggestion condition, a significantly larger number of participants reported having no improvement than in the control condition, in which no suggestion had been made.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0011
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
Chapter 11 (“Magical Thinking and the Mind”) takes a broader look at what place magical thinking occupies in the whole of an individual's mind, particularly in relation to ...
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Chapter 11 (“Magical Thinking and the Mind”) takes a broader look at what place magical thinking occupies in the whole of an individual's mind, particularly in relation to scientific and religious thinking. It argues that the mind consists of two major types of reality: ordinary and magical. Whereas science is in the realm of ordinary reality, magic and religion are in the realm of magical reality. Various functions of magical reality are discussed, and the concept of existentialization is introduced. Existentialization is the process that separates magical reality from ordinary reality within an individual's mind. Various applications of the concept of existentialization to other domains of cognitive development (such as “theory of mind” and “appearance–reality distinction”) are considered. An overview of the development of existentialization across the lifespan is also given.Less
Chapter 11 (“Magical Thinking and the Mind”) takes a broader look at what place magical thinking occupies in the whole of an individual's mind, particularly in relation to scientific and religious thinking. It argues that the mind consists of two major types of reality: ordinary and magical. Whereas science is in the realm of ordinary reality, magic and religion are in the realm of magical reality. Various functions of magical reality are discussed, and the concept of existentialization is introduced. Existentialization is the process that separates magical reality from ordinary reality within an individual's mind. Various applications of the concept of existentialization to other domains of cognitive development (such as “theory of mind” and “appearance–reality distinction”) are considered. An overview of the development of existentialization across the lifespan is also given.
Eugene Subbotsky
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- May 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780195393873
- eISBN:
- 9780199776979
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195393873.003.0013
- Subject:
- Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, Developmental Psychology
The Epilogue (“Plunging Into a Utopia”) presents the world as it would be without magic. It turns out that such a world would suffer considerable losses in terms of excitement and beauty of ...
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The Epilogue (“Plunging Into a Utopia”) presents the world as it would be without magic. It turns out that such a world would suffer considerable losses in terms of excitement and beauty of existence. Irreparable dents would appear in culture and social life. Art, language, emotional life, and even the landscapes in which we live would change in this new world. Next, the world with magic is considered again: with the lost magic returned, the importance of magical thinking for our lives is appreciated in the new and refreshed perspective. Finally, possible future benefits of studying magical thinking and behavior are discussed.Less
The Epilogue (“Plunging Into a Utopia”) presents the world as it would be without magic. It turns out that such a world would suffer considerable losses in terms of excitement and beauty of existence. Irreparable dents would appear in culture and social life. Art, language, emotional life, and even the landscapes in which we live would change in this new world. Next, the world with magic is considered again: with the lost magic returned, the importance of magical thinking for our lives is appreciated in the new and refreshed perspective. Finally, possible future benefits of studying magical thinking and behavior are discussed.
Maher Jarrar
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- January 2009
- ISBN:
- 9780199554157
- eISBN:
- 9780191720437
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199554157.003.0013
- Subject:
- Literature, 19th-century and Victorian Literature, 18th-century Literature
The Arabian Nights in contemporary Arabic fiction circulates to Asia, Africa, and Latin America only to return again to its Eastern roots. The chapter provides a taxonomy of these ...
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The Arabian Nights in contemporary Arabic fiction circulates to Asia, Africa, and Latin America only to return again to its Eastern roots. The chapter provides a taxonomy of these adaptations, including the interplay of story cycles and motifs, the invention of “new” nights, and the reworking of narrative techniques in specific novels written in Arabic. The influence of magical realism, especially in the works of Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez, on the Arabic novel has been pronounced, principally by way of the Nights' reception in Latin America. Transformed by the often transgressive political nature of magical realism, some Arabic novelists have found in the Nights a pre-text for a counter-narrative that protests against colonialism. The novels reveal the text's circular return to the Arab world after centuries of translation into European languages, Crossfertilized with folklore, the Arabian Nights are ironically given the shape—albeit thoroughly re-imagined—of the European novel.Less
The Arabian Nights in contemporary Arabic fiction circulates to Asia, Africa, and Latin America only to return again to its Eastern roots. The chapter provides a taxonomy of these adaptations, including the interplay of story cycles and motifs, the invention of “new” nights, and the reworking of narrative techniques in specific novels written in Arabic. The influence of magical realism, especially in the works of Jorge Luis Borges and Gabriel García Márquez, on the Arabic novel has been pronounced, principally by way of the Nights' reception in Latin America. Transformed by the often transgressive political nature of magical realism, some Arabic novelists have found in the Nights a pre-text for a counter-narrative that protests against colonialism. The novels reveal the text's circular return to the Arab world after centuries of translation into European languages, Crossfertilized with folklore, the Arabian Nights are ironically given the shape—albeit thoroughly re-imagined—of the European novel.
Ursula K. Heise
- Published in print:
- 2008
- Published Online:
- September 2008
- ISBN:
- 9780195335637
- eISBN:
- 9780199869022
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780195335637.003.0004
- Subject:
- Literature, Criticism/Theory, 20th-century and Contemporary Literature
This chapter, building on Ch. 1, explores how a sense of globally connected places develops from innovative aesthetic techniques in two works that focus on the Amazon rainforest as an icon of ...
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This chapter, building on Ch. 1, explores how a sense of globally connected places develops from innovative aesthetic techniques in two works that focus on the Amazon rainforest as an icon of environmentalist concern. German installation artist Lothar Baumgarten’s experimental nature documentary The Origin of the Night: Amazon Cosmos presents images and sounds that ostensibly portray the Brazilian jungle, but are revealed as images of the river Rhine in Germany at the end of the film. The superimposition of the two landscapes generates a complex reflection on global interconnectedness. Japanese American novelist Karen Tei Yamashita’s novel Through the Arc of the Rainforest revolves around a mysterious substance discovered in the Brazilian jungle that becomes the point of departure for global business and media ventures and is ultimately revealed to be geologically transformed First-World trash. Yamashita’s thematic focus on a local place transformed by the global, as well as her combination of Latin American techniques derived from the work of Mário de Andrade and Gabriel García Márquez with North American postmodernist strategies, create a narrative world that links the local, national, and global realms in innovative ways. Both works aim to create an “eco-cosmopolitan” awareness of global cultural and ecological spaces.Less
This chapter, building on Ch. 1, explores how a sense of globally connected places develops from innovative aesthetic techniques in two works that focus on the Amazon rainforest as an icon of environmentalist concern. German installation artist Lothar Baumgarten’s experimental nature documentary The Origin of the Night: Amazon Cosmos presents images and sounds that ostensibly portray the Brazilian jungle, but are revealed as images of the river Rhine in Germany at the end of the film. The superimposition of the two landscapes generates a complex reflection on global interconnectedness. Japanese American novelist Karen Tei Yamashita’s novel Through the Arc of the Rainforest revolves around a mysterious substance discovered in the Brazilian jungle that becomes the point of departure for global business and media ventures and is ultimately revealed to be geologically transformed First-World trash. Yamashita’s thematic focus on a local place transformed by the global, as well as her combination of Latin American techniques derived from the work of Mário de Andrade and Gabriel García Márquez with North American postmodernist strategies, create a narrative world that links the local, national, and global realms in innovative ways. Both works aim to create an “eco-cosmopolitan” awareness of global cultural and ecological spaces.
Terryl L. Givens
- Published in print:
- 2002
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780195138184
- eISBN:
- 9780199834211
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/019513818X.003.0007
- Subject:
- Religion, Religion and Society
Critics and cultural historians have proposed a variety of explanations for the Book of Mormon's origin. Outright fabrication, automatic writing, and plagiarism of either Solomon Spaulding or Ethan ...
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Critics and cultural historians have proposed a variety of explanations for the Book of Mormon's origin. Outright fabrication, automatic writing, and plagiarism of either Solomon Spaulding or Ethan Smith were early theories (the latter two still having defenders). Environmental explanations have proliferated in recent years. Scholars have alleged parallels with masonry, an early American magical worldview, and nineteenth‐century religious controversies. Under pressure to accommodate naturalistic models of authorship, some scholars propose a model of inspirational fabrication – but such a compromise would necessarily entail the loss of the Book of Mormon's scriptural status.Less
Critics and cultural historians have proposed a variety of explanations for the Book of Mormon's origin. Outright fabrication, automatic writing, and plagiarism of either Solomon Spaulding or Ethan Smith were early theories (the latter two still having defenders). Environmental explanations have proliferated in recent years. Scholars have alleged parallels with masonry, an early American magical worldview, and nineteenth‐century religious controversies. Under pressure to accommodate naturalistic models of authorship, some scholars propose a model of inspirational fabrication – but such a compromise would necessarily entail the loss of the Book of Mormon's scriptural status.
