Wishing Doesn’t Make It So
- Leigh W. Jerome
- 7 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Magical thinking, unchecked, can lead to poor judgement and decision making.
Originally posted (September 2, 2025) Psychology Today
Most all of us engage in small acts of magical thinking without a second thought. Perhaps you make a wish before blowing out birthday candles, knock on wood after tempting fate or resist certain words or actions that you fear could be a “jinx.” These rituals are usually harmless, but they reveal how deeply magical thinking is woven into our everyday lives. Unchecked, magical thinking can prevent us from seeing reality as it really is, in lieu of perceiving what we wish it to be.
Magical thinking is a cognitive distortion. It refers to the illogical belief that certain of our thoughts, rituals, or actions can influence external events, without any evidence or rational basis (Brashier & Multhaup, 2017). While superstitions frequently echo lighthearted intentions or cultural traditions, they can reflect deeper coping strategies, especially in times of chaos, uncertainty and stress.
Research shows that the frequency of magical thinking and superstitious behavior increases under conditions of stress, where the intention is to increase one’s sense of control (Keinan, 2002). When people are faced with uncertainty, magical thinking allows for the construction of a space where ambiguity can be transformed into possibilities, however unlikely, and therefore reduce anxiety, offer comfort and sustain hope (Yannik, Handelman & Taylor, 2011).
Clinical instances of magical thinking are noted in serious psychological diagnoses, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and schizophrenia (Fite, Adut & Magee, 2020). However, more subtle forms of magical thinking are ubiquitous, acting like bargaining chips and rationalizations, to tame anxiety and reduce cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance is the psychological discomfort that you feel when either your beliefs, values or attitudes conflict, either with each other or with your actions (Festinger, 1957). When confronted by situations that create this dissonance, the resultant stress creates an urgency to rectify the tension, either through a change of attitude or a change in behavior.
Wishful thinking is a type of magical thinking where people adopt beliefs based on what they want to be true rather than on evidence. When someone holds a personal belief that is contradicted by reality, they experience cognitive dissonance. Because the dissonance feels intolerable, the mind seeks ways to resolve it. A person may then use mental strategies to justify clinging to their wishful belief rather than accepting the empirically contradictory evidence. For example, rather than leaving a doomed relationship, someone may imagine, “Things will get better after we have a baby.” Rather than confronting the conflict directly, magical thinking can be a buffer to avoid the harder work of a resolution requiring attitudinal or behavioral change.
Magical thinking is attractive because it can immediately reduce anxiety and quiet the dissonance between what we wish for and what we fear. Self-soothing, even deceptive self-soothing, can be effective and harmless in minor scenarios where no other options are available (e.g. wishing a flight to land safely); however, magical thinking becomes unhealthy when used as a substitute for critical thinking in making informed decisions or taking action when choices matter (i.e. smoking cessation; global warming).
Ironically, trying to avoid certain thoughts or feelings can actually cause the thoughts or feelings to occur more persistently, an effect known as Ironic Process Theory or the Pink Elephant paradox (Wegner, Schneider, Carter & White, 1987). Attempting to suppress a thought as a self-control strategy has paradoxical effects, sometimes even producing the very obsession or preoccupation that it is directed against.
Further, over time, even subtle magical thinking can distort judgement. When a person is unwilling to accept reality, they become immune to critical evidence, biases are reinforced, and they are more likely to make poorer choices where they underestimate risks and overestimate control (Buehler & McFarland, 2001; Kunda, 1990).
For most people, there is limited motivation for abandoning magical thinking. Magical thinking offers comfort, a sense of control, and emotional relief in uncertain situations. It’s ability to reduce immediate distress, offers short-term gratification so people are often reluctant to let it go, especially when the alternative means facing uncomfortable truths, ambiguity, or the limits of one’s control over negative possibilities. People rarely give up magical thinking simply because it’s irrational. They relinquish it when the costs outweigh the benefits, and when they possess other ways to regulate their anxiety and preserve hope.
For an individual or society to change there must be motivation to change, which requires two conditions. First, people must recognize that magical thinking is causing them harm by prompting poor decision-making, missed opportunities and/or negative outcomes. Change will not occur until reaching a point at which denial is no longer effective as protection against undesirable consequences. Second, alternative and available tools must be in place for self-soothing of anxiety and uncertainty tolerance. When individuals learn how to regulate emotions, manage anxiety, think critically and embrace uncertainty, they become less reliant on irrational beliefs and rituals (Carleton, 2016). Strategies include engaging in mindfulness and psychological therapies as well as embracing critical thinking for problem solving.
Once motivated, steps for reducing one’s reliance on magical thinking can be implemented. As with most things, this starts with awareness. By simply becoming aware of cognitive biases, you can lessen their influence. By asking yourself what the evidence is for a particular belief, you are evaluating whether the belief is supported by facts or merely aligns with a personal desire or fear. Intentionally seeking to understand the truth opens your mind to other possibilities.
Stay conscious of yourself in unpredictable contexts, where you have reduced control and magical thinking is most likely to arise. Make a clear distinction between wishful thinking and optimism. Positive thinking can build motivation, resilience and creativity without turning a blind eye to reality. Strive to build a tolerance for uncertainty as, in the long run, this will reduce your anxiety and help you to move beyond rudimentary defense mechanisms, such as denial and wishing something wasn’t so. Mindfulness practices can be helpful in developing a non-judgmental and detached acceptance of tough truths and can weaken the automatic link between anxiety and magical thinking. Moreover, grounding your sense of purpose in values such as awareness and truth can change your experience of uncertainty while amplifying clarity, stability and serenity.
References
Buehler, R., & McFarland, C. (2001). Intensity Bias in Affective Forecasting: The Role of Temporal Focus. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 27, 11, 1480-1493. https://doi.org/10.1177/01461672012711009 (Original work published 2001)
Brashier, N. M., Multhaup, K.S. (2017). Magical thinking decreases across adulthood. Psychol Aging, 32, 8, 681-688. doi: 10.1037/pag0000208. PMID: 29239653; PMCID: PMC5734664.
Carleton, R.N. (2016). Fear of the unknown: One fear to rule them all? J Anxiety Disorders, 41:5-21. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2016.03.011. Epub 2016 Mar 29. PMID: 27067453.
Festinger, L. (1957). A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance. Stanford University Press.
Fite, R.E., Adut, S.L., Magee, J.C. (2020). Do you believe in magical thinking? Examining magical thinking as a mediator between obsessive-compulsive belief domains and symptoms. Behav Cogn Psychother. 48, 4, 454-462. doi: 10.1017/S1352465820000132. Epub 2020 Mar 17. PMID: 32178750.
Keinan G. (2002). The effects of stress and desire for control on superstitious behavior. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 28, 1, 102–108.
Kunda, Z. (1990). The case for motivated reasoning. Psychological Bulletin, 108, 3, 480-98. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.108.3.480. PMID: 2270237.
St. James, Y., Handelman, J. M. & Taylor, S. F. (2011). Magical Thinking and Consumer Coping Journal of Consumer Research, 38, 4, 632–649, https://doi.org/10.1086/660163
Suelmann, H., Brouwers, A. & Snippe, E. (2018). Explaining Variations in Mindfulness Levels in Daily Life. Mindfulness 9, 1895–1906. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-0932-1
Wegner, D. M., Schneider, D. J., Carter, S. R., & White, T. L. (1987). Paradoxical effects of thought suppression. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 53(1), 5-13. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.53.1.5