Psychological Aspects of Superstition, Essays (university) of Psychology

Download Psychological Aspects of Superstition and more Essays (university) Psychology in PDF only on Docsity! 1 Table of CONTENTS INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................................... 3 The reason for choosing this topic.......................................................................................3 I. CONCEPTUAL framework...........................................................................................6 1. Representation....................................................................................6 1.1. The vision of the psychology of cognition...................................................6 1.2. The vision of the socio-psychological perspective....................................................10 1.3. The definition of the concepts: superstitious, ritualistic, superstitious. .......................21 1.4. Study on superstitions. A brief history.......................................23 1.4.1. The beginnings of the study of superstition, and the classification of luck....23 1.4.2. Studies on the difference between the old and superstition, and it.............................28 1.4.3. Studies on the relationship between gender and superstition....................................28 1.4.4. Studies on the relationship between personality factors and superstition.....31 1.4.5. Studies on the relationship between locus of control and superstition, and it.................32 1.4.6. Studies on the relationship between extraversion and superstition, and it.....................34 1.4.7. The studies carried out on the students in terms of the bullshit.........35 1.4.8. Experimental studies on superstition.............................................38 1.4.9. Conclusion the review of the studies carried out in the superstitions.......42 I. 2. The personality of a human...................................................................................44 I. 2.1. Locus of control.......................................................................44 I. 2.2. The control of internal/external dimension of the personality of the...........................46 II. METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................................50 II.1. Probe......................................................................................................50 III. R...................................................................................................................57 III.1. Obiective...................................................................................................57 III.2. The hypotheses of the study.....................................................................................58 III.3. Eșantionare................................................................................................59 III.4. Tools..................................................................................60 III.5. Procedura..................................................................................................60 IV. PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA....................................................60 2 IV.1. Statistical analysis of the data..................................................................61 IV.2. Results and discussion...................................................................................62 CONCLUSIONS:...............................................................................................65 REFERENCES..........................................................................................66 INTRODUCTORY REMARKS THE REASON FOR CHOOSING THIS TOPIC In the information society, the society of the learning and the knowledge society, it begs the question if there is a commonly held beliefs, superstitions, superstitious rituals, forms of knowledge they have in common; what is the form of dress up, and to what extent they believe in that kind of belief/superstition among the modern generation with the intellectual than the average, more specifically in college students. We all live in a world of uncertainty. Many of the important variables remain out of our control. Although there is no evidence to support the validity of astrology, there are a lot of people who believe in it. A lot of people wearing amulets for good luck, or engage in the performance of the simple acts like it is hammering into wood, or încrucișatul of your fingers, hoping that they would get rid of the bad luck and attract good luck. In our modern society, this behavior is counter-intuitive. Our understanding of the world tells us that these signs and / or gestures do not have any effect on the course of events over which they are directed. "Superstitions are extremely common, if not universal. This is a popular form of irrational behavior is a challenge to contemporary psychology. Why are the superstitions that prevail? As this kind of behavior is established and maintained? Is there a personality superstițiosului?”. (Vyse, 1997, p. 5). The beliefs of the popular, and almost universal, are the well-known faces of the black hooves of the horses, the salt sprinkled on Friday the 13th, etc., the Superstition of touching the different levels of life, and for every individual that means something. There is a superstition that arise in the maintenance of the interior of the house, this is a kind of religion, of the house. Basically, any object that has a size of taboos: the threshold of the door, mantel, 5 Keywords: superstition, ritual, superstitious beliefs, locus of control, 1. REPRESENTATION 1.1. The vision of the psychology of reasoning. As Zlate (1999), in "the Psychology of the cognitive mechanisms": "social psychology pays attention to a very specific type of representation, are called representations of the social. The concept was launched in 1961 by the French, Romanian, Serge Moscovici, who, in his ph. d. thesis At psychanalyse: son image et son public. The new concept is the object to, as, himself, Moscovici, a remark, a concept, lost it, found it still in 1898 by the French sociologist Emile Durkheim (1858-1917), which is the concept of collective representation. The French sociologist understand the representation of the collective as a whole psychological phenomena common to all the members of a social group. In terms of the contents, the representation of the collective include the phenomena of the psychic and the social, distinct (as knowledge, myth, and ideology), it has a character twofold: to share, to the extent that it was caused by the characteristics common to a group in a society; psychological, and given the fact that the perception of the reality, and the organization of thought is the work of the individual. The representation of the social order Moscovici, ”a system of values, concepts, and practices relating to objects, aspects, or dimensions of the social environment, which make it possible not only to establish the framework for the lives of individuals and groups, but it is equally a tool of the orientation of the perception of the situation and develop a response. Therefore, Serge Moscovici, who understand the social representations that the products and processes of developing a psychological and social development of the real thing. The social representation is not a mere collection of the representation of the individual, but also an insight into the social sphere, as determined by the social, and the construction of the social. The formation of psychic complex, it contains both the slope of the individual, as well as the social, so the components of the visual-perceptual, and intellectual. It is practically a reconstruction of the mind, society, and social interaction, by means of the patterns of mental health of the individual. Human behaviors are determined not so much by the stimuli, as pictures and ideas on what people do to a stimulus. The nature of the kind of dual of social representations is evident from the fact that they are considered to be of particular forms of knowledge, in that it mixes the function, and logic, which are forms of the “to the knowledge of common sense” and “the forms of social thought” 6 In my opinion, we should not lose sight of the fact that, although the generation of such representations is the social development of their remains, always, always, personal. Basically, the representation is an “effort of the understanding and the control of the real thing, one way to think about practicality-the context of your evaluation of a reading grid of the reality of a place in the world of values. Not even thinking of an objective, scientific reality, not a reflection of emotional stimuli inconjurători: a restoration, a re-construction of reality, through the prism of the mental pattern of the individual” This guy is the one who's rich or distort the reality of the company, the company is the one who pushes him towards a certain enrichment of deformation, according to them, the interests, and especially the ideology of it. However that may be, the representations of the social constituted a typical example of the formations of the psychological complex, multideterminate and multifaceted. A characteristic feature of the social representations and coming out better off if they stand on a number of other phenomena, physical and social, which they seem to overlap each other. As such, they differ from the representations of the mental health of the individual (which is reflected, as we recall, the fraction of the universe, outside of the state) by the nature of the concurrent social and individual level; out of the shadows (the products of the imagination of the world and the imaginary) in that it relate to the real world; the figurabilitate (the product of labor, the psychic day-comparable to the one from his dream, with his very, very close to the vision of the dreamer) by the nature of the constructive basis of the sensory and perceptual fixed and stored in memory. the bias (the 'products' of the mind, which is presented as the development of clustered off the table, at a certain point, the point of view of the prevalent within a group relative to a variety of different topics, images, preformațe) ; stereotypes (clichés, mentally stable, reliable, and less likely to change) the content and structure of their own that go above and beyond the content and the structure of the prejudices and stereotypes, beliefs, and superstitions (which emerge from irrational), through their emergence from the real thing. Pierre Mannoni, who carry out an analysis of the trunk line of differentiation, and the relationship between the representations of the social and other phenomena that are listed, suggesting an oversimplification of what it allows, according to him, the link between the different elements. 7 You can see in the picture above, that social representations are located in the downstream of a few of the phenomena that are described (representation, mental, or psychological, and ghosts) who plays the role of the organizers of the schemata-the representative; in the upstream and in relation to each other (clichés, stereotypes, prejudices, beliefs, superstition), in order that they show up in the quality of the constituents, and ( Mannoni, 1998, pp. 7-34) 1 Golu (2002) believes that "therepresentation, it allows us, therefore, on the one hand to form an "image" on the result of the action we wish to take it, and, on the other hand, to draw up a plan or a programme of action and to carry out, in my mind this before you do in the outside world. The representation of the charge in the scheme of the work that the position of the mind, which represents the basis of information, every action, and movement, as well as part of a complete, directing the action from the results of the sequential-partial to the on the final outcome. The image of the representation is included as a link in the control (no feed-back or feed-before), thanks to which the action is set in such a way as to get the expected result. The function of the control of the representation is carried out by means of a series of operations, such as comparison, analysis, evaluation, and selection process, through a permanent ringing in the background of past experience. 10 The common definition of social representations is a difficult task due to the complexity of the phenomenon, as well as the influence of the concepts of the theoretical knowledge of the general characteristics of the authors of the exercises on the development of the concept of the matter. The most important of understanding and the characterization data of the RS can be summarized as follows:  Psychosocial phenomenon that involves the specific ways of understanding and communication, which includes both the reality and the sense of shared, by default, the RS is a system of values, concepts and practices in relation to the objects belonging to one's social environment (S. Moscovici);  The form of knowledge, drawn, social, and shared, in which a subject relates to an object, in competition to the construction of the reality common to a set of social (D. Jodelet);  Principles of generators for the statements related to the passes specific to a set of social relations, and organizing all the processes of the token used in the reports (W. Doise);  The process of developing perceptual and mental reality, which transforms the objects of the society (of things, people, situations, events) in the category of the symbolic (the values, beliefs, ideology), and giving them a status, cognition, and thus allowing for an understanding of daily life, with her back to the behaviour of the individual in the ensemble of the social interactions (H-N, Fischer);  The system of interpretation of reality , which governs the relationship between individuals and their physical environment, and social responsibility behaviors and practices, the construction of the socio-cognitive contituind, and a guide to action, in so far as it implies a set of expectations, and the expectations (J-J-C. Abric). The development of a coherent theory on the social representations have to be based on a few sentences of general, based on the experimental data of the existing ones. Here are some of them:  From a psychological and sociological perspective can not make a clear distinction between the subject and the object, between the stimulus and the response, and, therefore, an object does not exist in itself, but rather by what it takes for a subject (an individual, a group, a community), and this meaning is the expression of the social relations that involve behaviors that axiological, praxiologice and situations. In other words, as the highlight of the J-C-Abric, we don't speak of "objective reality" in the classic sense of the term, but only in a 11 "real-represented," I mean, only from the social, built, cognitive, and integrated system of values, socio-cultural, ideological, and historical.  The representations of the restructuring of reality, making the integration of the specific features of the object with the subject, which are derived from the norms, values, motivations and beliefs of the latter.  The RS are the result of a specific process of development, and the process as such, but unfortunately it is the complementary study to the two dimensions you need to enjoy the differences of the conceptual rigor.  From the analysis of the content and the dynamics of the RS, it follows that these are the structures of the operators (D, Cristea, 1988), and may not be treated as part of some form of knowledge of the social reality, and a little bit of simple reflex, in which the condition is considered as an external factor, rather than a constituent.  The structures of the operators, the RS has three main dimensions, the direction of which is obiectivizează the dynamics of these: a) the size of the brain, which ensures the transformation of the information technology for sensing and communications in the "facts consensus" that is shared and with social functionality, which integrates the fields of cognitive balanced ) according to Heider, this concept); and b) the size of the value that the underlying attitudes of the default, corresponding to the sets of social representations, which are derived from the values, norms, and patterns of socio-cultural background in a particular social space; c) the size of the practical values, including the schemes of action, and the relationship, which are socio-cultural carrying out relations of individual -, group-average.  The RS are related to the overall process of the construction of social reality, ensuring that the dynamic relation between the individual and society, between the psychological and socio-cultural. The assembly of the RS-specific social groups that make up our universe by consent (as defined by S. Moscovici), in which the unfamiliar becomes familiar, the experience of the earlier takes precedence over the fact that now, restaurăndu a sense of continuity and coherence, when individuals and groups of individuals are at risk of discontinuity, ambiguity, and inconsistency. In terms of the quality of the surgery of social representations, this is carried out in several directions: 12 1. The transformation of social reality or the objects that belong to this reality in the objects of mind, not by reflection or a copy, but through the selection, redesigned, and the significance-in a new field, cognitive, and of which the coordinates are determined on the basis of consensus of the group, and socio-cultural 2. The system is a relationship among people, groups, groups, or social institutions, in the process of elaboration of the mental to the RS. The extent to which each item of the social functions that the overall relationship of this system is to be found both in the process of the development of, and the content of them. From this point of view, the RS shall be considered as elements of mediation of communication, the social, and the visualization of the position of the individual person, or group, within the framework of the social system in general, depending on the location of the power structure, membership in specific groups of travelers, or by the pressure of the ethnic, religious, occupational, political, or ideological. 3. The reshaping of reality, in so far as the development of the RS, it creates significant data through the internalization patterns of socio-cultural background, and the ideologies of the dominant, prevailing in a society (community) in a given time. 4. The naturalization of the social reality, in the sense of inducing a rationalisation of the logic of the mind and the abolition of the default of which is difficult, ambiguous, or incomprehensible. The reality of the naturalized, is one of reelaborată, which can be controlled by reason and evidence, and becoming so familiar, and the consensual elements of the laboratory generating the anxiety is removed or converted to be symbolic. In relation to the content of the social representations that may be cognitive, axiological, motivational, emotional, attitude, or action; as to the reference of the RS may be economic, the political, the religious, educational, artistic, scientific, political, ethical, etc., Is an organised grouping of information, beliefs, opinions, and attitudes about an object is given, the discovery of the structure of the RS needs to be done in conjunction with the analysis, both in terms of the functional, as well as in terms of the internal organisation of the specific content. The functions of social representations. As we have seen, the SR plays a key role in the development of the attitudes and behaviors of the individual and the group, the dynamics 15 Social representations are systems of values, and the notion of a form of social thought, to be worked out in a perceptive mind and a practical way of getting to know people. They have a cognitive component. But they also have a social component, in order that they are supplied by the environment, in the context of the social and ideological, because it is a form of relating to the world, the ways of social integration. Finally, we see that the instruments of the organization of perception and interpretation, as a researcher, as a way of communicating with each other. It shows that the idea, the design, layout, mental approach, and as a guide to action (a code of conduct, the action model). They are, at the same time, through the processes of mental development of children's cognitive and emotional (the product of an individual's personality), but also the beliefs, superstitions, opinions, ideas, products in the background (the development of the social environment). Any representation that supports it, so on two pillars: the individual (intellect, emotion, motivation, and competition) and social (the social-ideological fiction of the social, political speech, etc.). The production of the symbolic regulate social behavior, make the rules, create the ideologies of the code of reading, and behavioral strategies. The representations of the social feed of beliefs, cultural practices, rituals, from the imagery of everyday life, but outside of this "history of pearl" (Ferreol, 1994).6 The myth. Faith The myth didn't exist f,made up of the body of the practices of the dress. Especially when she disappears, more than reprezntarea. The conclusion is, above all, the practice on the field, the study of the rites, and the collection of ancient myths, gestures, and representations, does not have to be separated. The level of morphology, then the system Mauss he added in his "Esquisse d hune theory is general in magic." the approach of the judgments of the synthetic a priori. This approach is rarely taken up by social scientists, it is, however, useful in the analysis of the diffuse beliefs are, the less fixed, less static than the beliefs that form the system. The magic is the same as the religion of a game, the judgments, the meaning of the words, sentimental, attributing it to various qualities of the different items that come into the system. But such a judgement is not the work of the spirits of the individual, but rather is the expression of the emotions in the social was formed when the fatally, and the universal, and when it happens, some things are chosen in the most random, plants, and animals, professions, and genders of the stars. In the end, we are presented with a large halo around the nuclei made up of magic 16 and religion, folklore, popular beliefs... to a period that is not always the best, according to superstition,...is a folk magic is different from that of the magician.7 In his book, Boudon (1992) presented the research of Paretto (1916), which he drew a grammar of the procedures of the argumentation by which the generated beliefs. Many people of a certain faith to be true, because they identify with a group that he considers it as such. These groups may be more or less diffuse: there may be identification with a particular Church, but also to a group of loosely defined. The phenomena of identification may, in some cases, be interpreted as a “rational”.8 Because their beliefs are made in order to increase our ability to survive, and they are biologically designed to be resistant to change. The understanding of the purpose of the biological nature of belief can also help people who are skeptical to be a lot more effective in the “challenge” of irrational beliefs and the conclusions of scientific research. Feelings and faith One of the primary tools of the brain that survive are the senses. It's obvious that we need to be able to perceive accurately the danger in order to be able to take some steps to protect it. The senses themselves are not the hight-efficient of the risk, as they are very limited. People who can contact you directly with only a very small part of the environment at any given time. On entering the territory, unseen, or unheard of, we put you in a position of danger, he did not receive any warning of the possible dangers. Faith is the name given to the instrument for the survival of the brain, which is designed to increase and enhance the function of our senses to the identification of the hazard. The beliefs of expanding the size of our senses so that we are able to detect the more the better, the danger, and so we can improve our chances of survival while going in and out of the territories of the familiar. The essence of the beliefs to serve as a detector by a long shot, the danger, the sensors belonging to the brain. From the point of view of the functional brain considers the beliefs of as a “map” of the internal characteristics of these parts of the world, that we do not contact you immediately. Sitting in my room, can't you see that his bike chained to rack, from the front of the building. I think I tied her to the rack with a long time ago. Using only the information in the sensory immediate, I don't know if this bike is still there. As a result, at this point in time sensory information is of some help to me in terms of my bike. In order to find it, and with a high level of effectiveness, the brain must ignore the sensory information of the current (that 17 has not only failed to help me find a bike, but it just tells me that it doesn't exist), and to return to the map of the interior of the location of my bike. It is my belief that the bike is tied to the rack where I left it. Taking into account my faith is much more than the sensory information, the brain can “learn” something about the world/the environment that I did not contact you immediately. It expands the knowledge I have with the world around us. The ability to think in order to enlarge the contact with the outside world, beyond the reach of our senses immediate, significantly enhances our ability to survive. A cop is going to be a lot safer if we continue to think that someone was stopped in traffic for a failure to comply with the rules of the road, it may not be a psychotic gunman, who is under the impulse of the commission of a crime. The resistance of the faith. As the senses, and beliefs, are both the tools to survive and evolve in order to grow, one on the other side of our brain considers them to be separate, but equal in terms of importance in the transmission of information, in order to survive. The loss of any one of them will put us all in danger. Without our senses, we can never know the world and the reality of the effect. Without our beliefs, we don't know the world outside the reach of our senses, or the world, without respect, and without judgment. This means that the beliefs are made in such a way that they can operate independently of the sensory information. In fact, the entire amount of their beliefs are based on their ability to persist in the face of evidence to the contrary. Beliefs can be changed easily. If, however, you may not change very, very quickly, then they would no longer be valid, and the tools necessary for our survival. A police officer who does not believe in the possibility that a killer is hiding in the back of the figure of the innocent can be so easily injured, or even killed. 1.3. The definition of the concepts of: jinx it. the ritual ending. Superstition (<fr. lat.) The faith of the primitive (which is based on the remnants of animism and magic) in the spirit of good and evil, miracles, magic, spells, omens, and the numbers, predictability, etc. Animism - (fr. Latin.anima=soul) a Belief in ghosts, spirits, souls-like reality that is distinct from the body, in the general, in the image of the supernatural, the suprasenzoriale, which is represented in the consciousness of religion, as agents acting in the whole world, destroying the objects and phenomena of the material world, including man. It is present as a component in all of the world religions.9 20 for keeping the individual: a person, can determine that a particular piece of clothing to bring good luck, if it is being worn. This belief is not tied to any religion or culture, but instead, it's a foregone conclusion the personal to the individual. The classification of Jahoda at a glance: 1. Religion - all religions 2. The cultural - focused on the significant events in a person's life: birth, marriage, death, etc. 3. The experiences of the paranormal and aliens, psychic, mystical animals, etc. 4. Personal - good-luck charms, lucky objects, numbers, etc. ofthe 14th "On the concept and vision of the mythology of romania, as well as the best of all the etnomitologiilor, the categories of information space, time, causality, and finality is necessary with cosmizarea to Chaos, and maintain historically, as long as people continue to think about the mythical". (Vulcănescu, 1987, p....15). Etnomitologii have come up with a ranking of more recent date, which divides the superstitions of the following categories, each of which is further subdivided into several sub- categories : 1. The superstitions of the simple 2. The superstitions of the common 3. Superstition, sensory Irina Nicolau, and Carmen Huluța (2000), which comprise a collection of beliefs and superstitions of the Romanian after that, Arthur Gorovei, and Gh. F. Ciaușanu. The co-authors of their choice, in the systematization of the beliefs and superstitions of the selected for the catalogue based on the keywords in the proposed work, the presentation is done in alphabetical order and is therefore out of the reach of the reader. The book is in line with a project that was initiated by the Romanian Academy in 1908, consisting of the issuance of a series of publications entitled “The life of the roman people”, which resulted in the period from 1908 to 1931. The authors approach it from the point of view of ethnological and rigorous scientific books Gorovei, and Ciaușanu. The co-authors of I provides the reader with an inventory of your beliefs and superstitions associated with objects ("pin it if you find it, it's the sign of a quarrel", "when you put the shirt on inside out, it's a bad sign"), for the holidays, from the simple ("In the middle of the Paresimilor (lent to Easter) count the eggs of the chickens, because if you don't shut it off", or "New Year, wine red, to renew the blood") or 21 certain practices ("if you drink aldămaș, spilling out of the cup a little bit or spill it all over the beef, if you have the good luck of it"), proposes to cure a healer for various ailments ("The white stuff is blow out the beef, oyster roast and ground, and the woman's squeeze the teat to the eyes"), advice ("just to get out of the army, and the cure is to eat the chicken out of the nigger"), or phrases of established ("To come out in the way with a dessert, it gets worse"), and, last but not least, explain with a comic of some of the activities of the individual ("Cîrciumarii put the leeches in the wine will stick people come in, like the caterpillar"). John Dupu (1999), which makes it a compilation of superstitions, romania and it tries to attach an explanation of their removed from the customs and beliefs of the old, to Avoid the numbers that it's bad luck; the cry of the bird it's taken into account and interpreted it as an omen, if you sing it, for example, the crow, the owl or a bird; the call of the fortune is in the house hiding from the bread and salt, on wood, or money, as the stove; omens when they cross the street, cat, black; the witchcraft of every kind, and the possession of the books of sorcery, the writing in the occult, calendars, weekly, etc., finding out the future with a certain amount of tickets drawn by the parrots and birds in green on the fairs and shows; the science of the occult mystery: the freemasons, the magic, the black-and-white flick, the vow to the devil, written in blood, the blood, in order to bind the evil spirits; astrology, preparation of horoscopes, or read them in the newspaper, the reading of the stars; for the magnetism of a remedy under the influence of the spiritual; the sin is in the books; psihografia (the transmission of a message from the spirits, by means of a device of wood, on which they put their hands, or a glass of wine in); card of dreams, and interpret the future and the dreams weaving sidereal (of a ring or an object) on top of the patients, the drugs or are pregnant (in order to determine the sex of the child); among the games of prediction, predict the palm of my hand (the interpretation of the lines of your hand), reading the tea leaves, coffee, etc., the spirit (the question of the dead), right, and both of these things, or to allow such a practice in place is not enough to get under a heavy do evil. Jesus said, “let's don't go that way” (Luke 17:23); beat into the ground, or in wood, so that you don't have anything bad happen (some of them with these knocking on wood with the words, “for God's sake!”). It turns out that the belief in superstitions, it is a "living" at the beginning of the 20th century. Some of these superstitions of all sorts are also encouraged by the social environment, rich in faithful. Since the first reports, the magic, and religion have been intertwined. A shaman is, at times, a spiritual leader, but the person who makes it rain, when it's needed. The priests in 22 ancient Egypt, they had used magic to inspire the faith of the masses. They made statues to cry on, the lamps burn out, permanently, in the tombs of holy men and women. Anthropological studies have provided an excellent point of departure for an investigation of luck. Fraser sought a variety of beliefs that are magical. Durkheim , he placed the superstitions in the background. The theory of Malinowski bring you an insider's view of the psychological point of view, on the grounds of the superstitions, and the magic of being, reducing anxiety, and the anxiety caused by the conditions of risk and uncertainty. (Vyse, 1997). Epstein (1994) tells us that, out of all the research that is aimed at the study of the psychology of superstition, the two present the observation of the direct, open, and in the natural environment of an individual: Roger Bosier , in order to determine the relationship between conservatism and the behavior of the superstitions of the common, he pulled a large scale by the wood on the wall in the middle of a busy street. Before starting to collect data, the Bosier to observe the behavior of pedestrians, and adjust the placement of the stairs in the middle of the sidewalk. Pedestrians are given the exact same distance away from the crossing or on the under the stairs or in addition to it. Those of you who have been trying to get under the scale were considered to be superstitious, as those who have been on the below scale has been considered as nonsuperstițioși. Of course, some of those who have been trying to get under the scale, they did so for other reasons, and it is not due to the fact that I am not superstitious; as well as those who have been on the below scale, they are unable to do so due to other reasons. However, Boshier, he was convinced that his experiment had failed to separate the pedestrians are a superstitious people of the skeptics. Once you have passed "the test of the ladder", the pedestrians were stopped, and the participants were asked to complete a questionnaire, which included a test of his ways. The questionnaire was completed by 108 walkers (50, superstitious, and 58 nonsuperstițioși). Boshier was found that the differences in the ways, for all of the age groups. Pedestrians are under forty years of age, or superstition, or nonsuperstițioși, they showed a high degree of conservatism. But in this age, the superstitious being, with a degree of conservatism, the most high. Bosier, has suggested that individuals with the more conservative, I can be more cautious. This precaution may lead to the prevention of the passage of the below scale. Glenn Wilson explains the bullshit that is motivated by the threat of the experiences of anxiety in the face of insecure, to the unknown. The fear and excitement motive of superstition. Wilson says that the superstitions are based on fear, the insecurity of the 25 Scale". They found that belief in the supernatural seems to have no impact on the functioning of the human personality, and in particular in relation to locus of control, and the threat of death, the concept of the proper way of making inferences, dogmatism, and irrational beliefs. The most significant discovery of this research is that the in-place to be for a single dimension of personality type-the "belief in the paranormal", it's more the size of the faith in the paranormal, relatively self-contained, each of them having different effects on your personality. Haraldsson (1985) he said that there is a widespread belief in the supernatural to the woman's. A study has been made of a sample of representative, representing the adult population of the United Kingdom. Then, two studies in the same way that the sample size was chosen in Sweden. Further, Haraldsson has shown that there is a significant correlation was found between female gender and belief in the paranormal in the two studies carried out on the samples selected from the Irish (r568=.22, r196=.30), but a correlation was not significant (r180=.12), in another study carried out on a sample from the republic of Ireland. Jerome Tobacyk, and Gary Milford (1988) carried out a study in which we have not found any significant differences. They found statistically significant differences only in certain kinds of superstitions common among the female students, in particular those related to precognition (the ability to predict the future). The students of the male sex, there were no significant differences compared to those of a female in terms of their faith in the form of life- the extraordinary (Bigfoot, Loch Ness monster, etc.). Tobacyk, and Tobacyk (1992) found that women feel most powerful in the supernatural, than the men, three different questionnaires related to the belief in the supernatural, and applied to a sample of the general population. Shermer, (2000), which are mentioned in two of the studies carried out on the relationship: Pamela L. Blizzard (1997), a study was conducted in order to reveal if there is any difference between males and females in regard to the belief in psychic phenomena. The sample consisted of 23 subjects (17 women and 6 men). It was used in a survey of the new items that deal with different areas of parapsychology death, clairvoyance, telekinesis, telepathy, and the experiences of after-death precognition, channeling the energy of it and their own perspective on the phenomena of psychic. The result of the survey showed that there were no significant differences between males and females in terms of the belief in paranormal phenomena are only two of the nine questions: precognition, and my own opinion on these things. 26 Vitulli, and Luper (1998) did a study on a group of college students (N=125), a group in which the males had a significantly higher level than women in terms of belief in the paranormal. No significant differences were descoiperite just some of the items (statements): "There is a difference similar to the function of the sex of the participant with regard to the statement: "Women are inferior to men in terms of their intelligence." The statement, number 9, appearing at the end of the list, only 16% of women and 5.7% of the women were marked as true. Another claim is that it can be seen, the difference between the sexes – “all Women are, by nature, more pure, more real, than the men,” has been marked as true, by the 53% of women and 38% of the men, but that doesn't change the fact that, in general, women have much more of the statements that are true. We haven't found any explanation for the fact that more women than men have checked that the false statements on faith, healing, and the brilliant men who were weak-minded children.” (Gustav Jahoda, 1969) With the exception of a few beliefs in the particular (the forms of the life of the extraordinary, magical creatures like the Loch Ness monster, or alien visitations), in general, women are more superstitious than men. 1.4.4. Studies on the relationship between personality factors and superstition, and it Is there a personality superstițiosului? The characteristics of our personality, and their relationship with superstition. "As we have seen, in the course of the past two decades, they have increased the belief in the various paranormal phenomena. These changes are reflected in the change of the profillului the personality of the believer. From the results obtained as a result of the consultation, the result of the fact that the relationship between intelligence and superstition, and it is changing.” (Stuart A. Vyse, 1997, p.47). The power of the New Age led to the rise of the popularity of superstition among the groups to which they were previously immune to superstition: the ones with above-average intelligence, the ones with the economic situation, the high level of education is high. Vyse (1997) tells us that: "A number of studies have pointed to the fact that, in the case of the superstition, people with below average intelligence are more superstitious than people with above-average intelligence": A stdudiu carried out in Georgia (1974) found that students with high IQ's are much more superstitious than students with a low IQ. However, the difference between the two groups of students was small. 27 Wayne Messer, Richard and Grace (1990) carried out a study on a sample consisted of 176 students in the first year of the study. They found that the majority of the students who believed in the paranormal, they received lower grades than their peers, skeptical, in one of my psychology classes. 1.4.5. Studies on the relationship between locus of control and superstition Vyse (1997), states that the investigation in relation to the personality traits are involved in a superstition, they have revealed a two-factor personality as the most important locus of control, and a conservative attitude. Locus of control refers to the role a person thinks that they have their own share in the events of your life. Some people go through life believing that they are at the mercy of circumstances. Well, I think that a lot of what's going on, good or bad, not because of them. Other people who are in charge of their destiny, they believe that they can shape the future of the asumânduși the responsibility of both the successes and the failures. Those with an internal locus of control believe that they are the ones who control our own future-shaping events through their own actions. The locus of control and external control are driven by the belief in fate and predestination. Well, I think that the change in their life due to the conditions of the external and the internal. Vyse (1997), a continuous documentation of the saying, "Study on the dimensions of personality have shown that a higher locus of control and external control is associated with greater anxiety and depression. The relationship between locus of control, and resistance to the suggestion that he has led many researchers to believe that individuals are not superstitious, there are some people who have a locus of control and external control, people who ascribe the events of your life, mystery, forces, completely out of control. The skeptics seem to have an internal locus of control, they're sticking it to be of the belief in superstitions. Most of the research has found that these things are true, both in terms of the superstition as well as in terms of the belief in the supernatural: 30 1.4.7. Studies conducted on college students, in terms of the bullshit "Being a teacher is one who teaches a regular student of psychology, I have noticed that the statistics of the matter is that the more frightening for it. I am somewhat aware of the anxiety they bring to the exams. In the hours leading up to an exam, especially the exam of the semester, I'm getting a lot of calls from students than at any other time of the year.” (Stuart A. Vyse, p.... 28). Vyse (1997) tells us that university students are known for their superstitions. "In fact, the conventional wisdom suggests that people with a higher education need to be more skeptical than those with low education. However, it turns out that superstition holds a place in the lives of students, especially during exam period”. According to superstition, are often associated with the fear of failure, and when it comes to the exam, most college students are really scared.” (Stuart A. Vyse, pp. 29 and 30). Stewart Mason, the declaration did not find any relationship between the level of superstition, and years of education. Laura Otis, James Alcock (1982) have published a study about some of the different types of beliefs in superstitions, which are present among the students and the teachers. In the majority of cases, the teachers were found to be more skeptical than the students. In this study, the authors have found that some of the academic centers are more skeptical than others. English teachers are the most superstitious people, they are thinking, especially in the ghosts, the reading of the future or fortune. One of the social sciences, the most sceptical of the teachers are the ones for psychology. Adair Kendrick and Craig Wilkinson (1993) found, in a recent study, which took place at the college, in Connecticut, a lot of students use pencils, clothing, or other accessories that they bring good luck. The students believe that the objects with their magic, have a direct effect on their performance in the exam. Daniel and Cheryl, dark Blue , have carried out an investigation, which lasted more than 13 years of age, based on a sample of 300 university students. The students filled out the questionnaires, standardized, and have gathered all the information on the thoughts that are relevant and feelings, and behaviors during the period of the exams. The students have been found in several locations throughout the campus. They have been used, and a number of interviews with the students. On the basis of the information gathered, they have found that the superstitions of the students know what they are in the exam period can be divided into two categories: 1. Your use of the objects that are magical. 31 2. The practice of special rituals. Between 20 and 33 per cent of the students are using the wizard, in particular, in order to attract good fortune rather than to remove the bad luck. One of the most popular superstitions of the students is about the garment. Some of the students are using writing tools to the special that they have been successful in the exams of the previous one. Some of the students argue that the fact that you can see his cards very close at the time of the exam, you increase your performance on the exam. Some of the students used the talismans, such as : foot of the hare, dice, coins, teddy bears or other toys. A special case was a male student who didn't get to test that before finding a coin, but this would mean, for it is a sign of good fortune. Search for a coin in various places (stations, bus stops, shops, etc.), whether or not on the day of the exam, it would mean a loss of time that could be used to study for the exam. But the behavior of the student, without regard for the risk to be late for the exam. Another way to attract good luck before an exam, it is a prayer. It was found in this study is that, even the students of the nonreligioși prayed before the exam. A ritual is observed prior to a test is the one to knock three times on the door of the room where the exam, even before he came in. Some of the students at the time they enter the examination room, it must do so with the right foot forward. Other people around the building three times, regardless of the weather. Jerome Tobacy and Deborah Shrader has examined the relationship between faith and the effectiveness of the self in a group of 180 students. They have found that a great deal of faith in the superstitions were associated with the efficacy of low self-worth. This relationship is valid only in the case of the women, not for men. Similar to other studies, the students are not superstitious, I'm one of those people who believe they are being controlled by external forces (locus of control and external control). For those of you who are more involved with the personal belief in the supernatural to bring some sort of control over it, this faith, is it really healthy. Even though the ideas of the paranormal, or superstition, are not rational, they are not explanations of the scientific, however, are deeply rooted in the vision of a person, to bring a state of well-being to that person. The most intense of psychology that revolves around a series of questions related to the telepathic influence of the pre-natal, the external signs of the array. Especially the new students, even if they admit to my ignorance in regards to the questions of technical approaches to psychology, with a particular concept rather than a strong fastened it on the phenomenology of human behavior. One of the liabilities of the basis of the teacher / trainer is to help you to choose the original stock of ideas, you have to give up some and have them turn on each other in the formulation of science. Therefore, a survey on the prevalence of such 32 ideas is common, it can have a decisive value for the therapist, as a starting point for the program, to his education.(Shermer, 2002). 1.4.8. Experimental studies on superstition B. F. Skinner (1948) has published the results from an experiment carried out at the pigeons. The psychologist and behaviorist B. F. Skinner, a set is a group of doves to starving in a cage, fitted with an automatic serving of the food. At regular intervals, without any connection with the conduct of the bird, he discovered that the pigeons associated the receipt of the food by certain acts of random that they were doing it, when the food was served, and that they continued to perform the same action:  one bird was conditioned to be buried in the cage, in the sense of the needles of the clock, making two or three turns around the cage, in the interval of time between the two tables.  new bird he put his head in again, each of the top corners of the cage  a third one, squirming as she placed her head under the bar, invisible, and you pick it up repeatedly  the other two birds had developed a movement of oscillation of the head and the body, in the head, was spread out before you, and moved violently to the right, to the left of the movement, followed by a return slowly to the starting position Skinner suggested that the pigeons believed to influence the automatic mechanism with their rituals, and that the experiment of throwing a question mark, and a certain degree of similarity to the study of human behavior. The experiment should be able to demonstrate a certain kind of superstition. The bird behaves as if there is a causal relationship between the behavior of the well, and the reception of food, although such a relationship was absent. There are a lot of analogies to human behavior. The ritual of reversal of fortune in a game of cards, it would be a good example of this. A few of the connections of the accidental (coincidence) between a ritual and a couple of positive consequences is sufficient in order to become and maintain the behavior in spite of the number of cases of adverse (bad). The person who is playing the bowling alley, and which one to let go of the ball on the track, but he continues to act like he's in control still, by the spin of the wrist, and shoulder is another case similar to this. This comportamemnte you don't have any real effect on your luck or upon a ball, which is already on the track, in the same way as in the previous case, the one with the pigeons, when do they occur so often, and if, the pigeons could not have done anything, or even if you've done 35 for those who want to guess the winning numbers to the lottery, but facing life with a more positivity. 21 1.4.9. Conclusion the review of the studies carried out in the superstitions Seymour Epstein, a psychologist at the University of Massachusetts, developed a theory of the human personality, a theory of what is called "cognitive-experiential self- theory"(CET). The basic premise of this theory is the fact that humans have two ways of thinking in the primary: the experiential, that is, the emotional, and intuitive; and the rational, what is logical and analytical. These two ways of thinking, working, working simultaneously in the same individual, often influencing each other. "The theory that Epstein is a re- enactment of the conflict, the classical connection between the brain and the heart." (Stuart A. Vyse, 1997, p. 53). In a growing number of studies, Epstein and his colleagues have found considerable support for this arrangement dichotomy of human thought. Epstein is assumed that the thinking of the superstition stems from the intuitive, experiential. He suggests that many of the errors of cognition, and of the belief in superstition or in the paranormal, are the result of part of our personality, more experiential and emotional. Epstein's (1991) work on and carry out a number of studies on the relationship between faith and some of the dimensions of one's personality. Using a variety of samples, with personality, the samples for the measurement of emotion, and he thought superstition was investigated in a group of 250 students. What they found Epstein is summarized in the following table: Table 0.2 Dimensions of personality are associated with a belief in superstitions The DIMENSIONS of FAITH INTO the SUPERSTITION, Negative Emotions , high - Introversion vs. Extraversion is not there is a relationship, Neurotism , high - Power, ego, decreased 36 Depression , high Anxiety , high Anger, there is no relationship of self-esteem is low (Source: Epstein, 1991) Epstein was found that those who showed a higher degree of belief in a superstition, it turns out that they really had a father who was a hiperprotectiv. Epstein was found that those, who believe strongly in the superstitions of the common, showing a degree of emotional instability. "If you take all these together, it seems that the investigation of Epstein, makes up what is called the picture of the person to be superstitious. This picture is the following: the superstitious, it is a more passive, more isolated, less anxiety, and poor mental health than a person who is nonsuperstițioasă”. (Stuart A. Vyse, 1997, p. 54) Stuart A. Vyse (1997) building up a profile of the ideal of the person, to the superstitious, is less than a conservative vector field, with the fear of death, never to be grounded, less anxious, more isolated, more passive, more emotionally volatile-than a person nesuperstițioasă. Many more features are associated with a high level of superstition, but combined in the same person, as they are shown in the table, they will cause a person to nonsuperstițioasă. Based on the investigation of the parallel, Vyse concludes by saying, that all these variables are taken together, it can cause an individual's sceptic. It is said that this is what happens when the two variables are combined together to interact. "We don't know how to interact with these features, among them, till they be driven studies to examine two or more variables in the same group of participants" (Stuart A. Vyse, 1997, p. 56). 37 I. 2. THE PERSONALITY OF A HUMAN I. 2.1. Locus of control (Locus of control). Baban (1998), describes in detail the concept of locus of control: "the Concept of locus of control (LOC), is introduced by Rotter (1966). The author argues that the attitudes and beliefs concerning the causal relationship between conduct and result is emerging as a feature of personality, global, and stable. The concept has its origins in social learning theory, and defines the manner in which a person explains the success and failure cases of the kind, internal or external, controllable or uncontrollable. Internal locus of control involves the belief that power and control can influence the course of events, that the success is due to the skill and hard work. Locus of control and external control refers to the belief that the power of the personal, it has no impact on the events of this is due to fate, chance, or the power of others. Rotter related to the concept of the ROOM to the other variables in the psychology of personality, such as alienation, self-governance, the need for a successful, award, etc.it. The differences in the individual's control manifests itself in three distinct levels: (a) cognitive confidence on the ability to exercise control over events, and (b) preference and the need for control; and (C) behavior – the effort to gain control of (Syme, 1989). Rotter (1975) maintains that the development of the trend, whether internal or external to the ROOM it depends on the circumstances and objectives of a type of culture and society. At present, there is a conceptualization of PLACE. Rotter describes the PLACE as a characteristic one-dimensional, relating to the control of the staff on a wide range of areas of life. (Lecfcourt, 1981, 1983). Recent studies support the model of a two-dimensional, making it at the same time, the distinction between the control of the specific situation, and the control of the leg. In the framework of the same model, the Folkman (1984) distinguished the influence of the two types of control in a high-stress: control of the situation affect the assessment of the secondary, and the generalized assessment of the device. Externality can be defensive (when people attribute failure to external factors, thereby protecting itself). Internalitatea it can manifest itself in two areas: responsible for (and expressing a desire to take control of, and responsibility for success and failure), and the culpabilizantă (subject, blaming himself for the failure, but at the same time, while not giving importance to the success). (Baban, 1998, p. 93 to 96). The DESCRIPTION of the Scale of Rotter - Locus Of Control: 40 of locus of control ("the Locus of Control Questionnaire"). The sample consist of 29 items, with each item having the two statements, a and b, which will capture the option internalității the control of the externalității. The task of the subject is to choose between the two, depending on your agreement or disagreement with the contents thereof. The result of the application of this test, each subject to be investigated, will belong to a certain class, one of the interns or externilor. Interpersonal differences The control of the external and the internal of your personality, it turns out to be a differentiator to be valid in the context of a population, and the majority of people being in a central area of the continuum polarization. The main differences in the interpersonal taken on the basis of the size it is located at the following levels: The level of attribution of the causes of the behavior The research of James, and the Nisnett (1972) has shown that there are differences interindviduale between the actor and the observer on the processing of information about your own behavior or that of others. The results of the research show that the actor - (the initiator of the behavior) tend to achieve the award of situational one's own behavior (external locus), and the observer manifested itself in a strong tendency for an assignment dispositional behavior of another person (internal locus). Schopler, and Layton (1975) studied a special case of the assignment, namely, the attribution of success and failure behavior in the school environment. The results of their research show that teachers tend to explain the failure of a school by the factors dispoziționali, internal, rather than situational factors, and suppliers. Monteil et al (1989) showed that there are differences among the teachers on the assessment of the conduct of the school. If the teacher is predominantly a L. O. C., an intern, you will have a tendency to want you to make an assignment of the cause of the internal behavior of the student, the teacher, with the L. O. C. externally, they tend to attribute the causes of the behavior of the school. This research draws attention to the relationship between the location of the control of the staff, and the evaluation of the behaviour of the other, highlighting the different styles of teaching. The level of performance of the task The research of Lefcourt (1976) has shown that there is a difference between the version of the internal and external control in terms of their performance in a specific activity. As such, interns are obtained, in general, better performance is comparable to externii. One explanation for this is that the scope of the analysis and reflection of their own measures, and 41 causes of, the performance of specific intern to help them in adjusting to the constant in the type and quality of the various tasks. The level of the social class of membership Many studies and research (Rabinowitz, 1978; Claes, 1981, 1982) has shown that the participants in the class and the disadvantaged, they tend to attribute the causes of behavior to external factors (external locus of control), as compared with those in the class are favoured to the predominant locus of internal control. Other studies deny, however, that this assumption by considering that the issue is much more complex, depending on your personal experience, and the overall structure of the personality. The level of self-confidence The research of the Feather (1968, 1970) indicate that there are differences between the internal and the external, and is manifested at the level of self-confidence. The results of this research show that:  the level of self-confidence of the externilor increase, in general, if a failure and dropping out after a successful.  the level of self-confidence of the interns has a tendency to grow after the successful, and in turn lower as a failure. In conclusion, on the basis of the position it occupies on the axis of the internalitate – technical, highlighting the interpersonal differences, at the level of the various segments of the behavioral characteristics of the human being. 42 II.METHODOLOGY II.1. Sample II.1.1.The questionnaire of the Rotter "Locus of control" includes 29 items, 23 of which is aimed directly at the SPOT, and 6 other items have been included by the author in order to make it more ambiguous, the purpose of the test (1, 8, 14, 19, 27). Each item consists of two statements, one referring to the internalitate, the other a spill-over. The respondents are asked to indicate which of the two is a better belief. The variations of the response to the spill-over are: 2a, 3b, 4b, 5b, 6b, 7a, 9a, 10b, 11b, 12b, 13b, 15b, 16a, 17a, 18a, 20a, 21a, 22b, 23a, 25a, 26b, 29a. The content of the items relate to the various areas of your life (ex: the success of the academic and the vocational, interpersonal relationships, political). The score, which is obtained from the aggregation of the options for the PLACE of the external can be set between 0 and 23. The higher the score is, the more it indicates the belief of the subject that the effects are caused by external factors. A score greater than or equal to 13 and show the orientation of the external to the subject. The mean scores and standard deviations on the scale of the PLACE – the Rotter varies depending on the investigation, as they were ranging from 7.73(3.82) and 9.22(3.88), both of these groups is made up of students. In general, the differences in the score between the two sexes are not significant. The coefficient of internal consistency of the questionnaire ranged between the ages of 65 and 79, according to the research report. The coefficient of fidelity to the test-re-test it for a month .72. The coefficient of correlation with the Scale of Social Desirability Marlowe- Crowe is the table of contents between .07 and.35. The validity of the discriminatory to the questionnaire indicate a relationship with low intelligence, and politics. Rotter conideră that the scale of the PLACE also offers predictions are significant, valid, especially when the 45 - the agreement with the data obtained in previous research to measure the same concept; - the consistency of the measuring instrument with the measurements of the alternative, or in line with it; - the internal consistency of the measuring instrument; - the ability of the predictive validity of the measuring instrument. The fidelity of a substantial impact on the validity of the measuring instrument, i.e., the usefulness of the science of the measurement instrument. The fidelity of a measuring instrument, it is the time of the agreement, or the expected stability of the measurements are the same, and it can be determined by: - the use of parallel forms of the research instrument (questionnaire, interview); - the method of elimination half-life (split-half reliability) , in which the test is applied, it is divided at random into two groups of approximately equal; - the repetition of the same test on the same sample, after the expiry of a certain period of time, i.e., the method of test-retest reliability. - the application of a single probe, when investigating the consistency of the inter- item. Due to the limitations imposed by the lack of funding, and the fact that there are instruments similar to the validated, the population of romania was chosen for the implementation of a single sample, and the research of inter-item. Although, the internal consistency, or the consistency (homogeneity) of the measuring instrument, in the case of a single sample is calculated by using the coefficient  Cronbach's. It is estimated that this is the most effective method for the estimation of fidelity (precision of measurement), a tool for research, sociological or psychological Coefficient, in the light of the degree of matching of the answers given by the subjects to the different questions of a measuring instrument, which explores a specific issue. The value of this coefficient is in the range of 0's and 1's, where 1 represents the maximum amount of internal consistency. In general, the internal consistency of the questionnaire depends on the number of items of which it is composed. On the questionnaire, the internal consistency as indicated by the coefficient of Cronbach's  = 0.877, I mean, a good internal consistency. The analysis of this complex showed that the most important thing for the achievement of the internal item 2 (the statement "the pill protects you from your thoughts, and of evil spirits"). The most important item was found to be item 4 (the statement: "the one who steps on the other leg at the time of the ritual 46 of the church from the time of the marriage will be the leader of the young"), whose exclusion would lead to an increase in the internal consistency of the questionnaire. One of the additional questions, the most important one for the internal consistency of the questionnaire is related to the time of the fulfilment of the ceremonies, and, most important (the exclusion of which would result in the increase of the internal consistency of the questionnaire) is related to the custom of saying "good luck" when someone sneezes. After the calculation of the coefficient Alpha, we have obtained the values of the following: No. Pos. - Size/the total Coefficient of Cronbach's alpha is to 1 the Size Is 0,74 2 Is the Size of THEM , a 0.75 a 3 - Dimension III - 0,75 4 the Size of the IV is 0,74 5 is the Size of V, And 0.75 To 6 the Size YOU 0,74 7 the Size of the LIVING 0,75 8 is the Size of the VIII was 0.74 9 the Size of the IX 0,74 10 and the Size of the X - 0,73 11 And the Size of the XI's is 0.73 12 is the Size of the TWELFTH 0,74 13 the Size of the XIII century was 0.74 14 - Size XIV 0,74 II.3.The quantification of the data. In view of the design of the questionnaire, it has been done for a listing of the answers to each issue on the basis of the agreement is attached to each of the 90s of the statements in the questionnaire, i.e. the answers to the 8 follow-up questions. Like this: For the questions in 14 categories, with each answer, indicate the degree of agreement of the subject and the truth of the proposition, as the degree of belief of the subject in the "truth- in-house" of the claim. A subject who is deemed to be a statement as "false," so, it's considered just can't seem superstitious belief in the claim, for example, in a subject, which indicates that bullshit on "the 47 Tuesday night brings bad luck, thanks to the 3-card monte of the day for Tuesday," it is false this is a topic which does not exhibit superstitious belief in (the) of that assertion; for a subject which says, "no, I'm sure of it" - face the truth/falsity of the claim is a matter which does not rule out the possibility that the statement to be true, and accordingly, it is considered to be partly superstitious belief in the truth of the proposition in question; a subject which considers the assertion of the subject, who believes in the superstition. As a consequence, for each statement, the level of confidence/faith, superstition of the subject, it was ranked: 1 for the answer 'false'; 2 to reply "I'm not sure." 3 for the "real thing." In this way, the dimension allowed for the calculation of the scores for each of the 14 categories, thus allowing for the identification of the category, which has one of the highest "degree of confidence" on the part of the subjects, as well as an overall score, which means, in respect of each subject, the degree of belief in the truth of luck. As the total score obtained from a subject is, the greater the confidence in the superstitions, it is still high. The 8 extra questions, the listing has been done: - To the question, "have you met a certain ritual of superstitions in the" responses were coded according to the order in which they appear in the questionnaire, a response of "I haven't met," which indicate that the subject did not fulfill any of the ritual of superstitions, being rated with a 0. Like this: The answer to "attract luck" has been rated by 1 The answer to "the removal of bad luck" has been rated by 2 The answer to "the success of an exam," he was quoted by 3 The answer to "the initiation of an affair" has been rated by 4 For each subject, there was a possibility of a choice of multiple responses with concomitant to this question, every response, as measured separately. - To the question: "how much time have you given to the fulfilment of this rite of passage ?", the responses were rated low to high, ranging from 1 to 4, with the idea that the longer the time of making of the ritual was that the subject's belief in the efficacy of the latter must have been very great. Thus, the answers to: "under a minute", he has been rated by 1 "that is between 1 and 5 minutes," you had been rated by 2 "between 5 and 10 minutes," has been rated by 3 50 III.3. On a sample basis. Sampling is the process of selecting units from the population of interest (the research), so that by studying the sample size to be able to generalize results to the population from which we have chosen. Random sampling is any sampling method that uses a form of selection of random. After Trochim (1990), methods for the selection of a random, are: (1) the sampling was random, plain, and (2) the sampling of a random multi-layer; and (3) the sampling of a random order; (4) the sampling was random, clustered, and (5) the sampling was random, multi-stage, that of the latter by using a combination of the first four. In view of the limitations of this study, were selected from a total of 120 subjects, students from the population of the city, using the method of sampling was random, so simple. He was selected out of a total of 120 subjects, equally divided into the profile of the study (60 undergraduate students of Psychology and 60 students of the Faculty of Letters, department of English Language and literature), and gender (30 women and 30 men from each of the faculties). The subjects were randomly selected based on the availability of working with the fire marshal. 51 III.4. The tools are used.  The questionnaire of the Rotter "Locus of control", which includes 29 items  The questionnaire Sperstiții, and the Ritual of superstitions (Prsc), which is prepared by the candidate, including a number from the 90's claims, which are grouped into 14 categories, each category contains an equal number of statements (5). III.5. Procedure They were included in the study, a total of 120 subjects, selected from among the students of the two faculties with different profiles (Psychology, and the Department of English) of the University "Vasile Goldis"Western. They were applied a questionnaire developed by the author, which includes a total of 90 of the claims of the various superstitious beliefs existing in the eu (and elsewhere) that are grouped into 14 categories, as well as the other 8 questions to investigate the extent to which the subject is put into practice in the day-to-day of your beliefs in this area. The questionnaire was applied by the investigator, the one time each and every topic in the course of a single session. Also, at the same meeting, each participant was applied to the questionnaire of the Rotter "Locus of control", which comprises 29 items, 23 of which is aimed directly at the SPOT, and 6 other items have been included by the author in order to make it more ambiguous, the purpose of the test (1, 8, 14, 19, 27). Each item consists of two statements, one referring to the internalitate, the other a spill-over. The subjects were asked to circle the option that it believes to be true. IV.PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA IV.1. The statistical processing of the data. The processing of the data included the verification of the validity of the questionnaire, prepared by the candidate, followed by a verification of the correlations and differences between the answers. Like this: 52 - The internal validity of the questionnaire was checked by using the method of the calculation of the coefficient, Cronbach's (), because that was the only method available to you. To verify the validity of the survey usually involves a comparison of the results obtained by the application of the questionnaire in this study with the results obtained from the application of a questionnaire, similar to the already validated in the same subjects. Because the investigator is not available, a similar questionnaire validated in the study population (or the population in Romanian, for that matter) is limited to the aexamina the internal validity of the questionnaire. - To the processing of the data obtained from the survey was started by checking out the distribution of the data with the help of a test of normality (Liliefors). Because the data are a result of having the normal distribution was chosen for further use of the test statistic for the type parameter, that is: o Pearson's correlation test (R); o The test of the difference of the mean of the T (Student) for the groups of independent variables of the group in order to differentiate between the groups according to sex, the profile of the study, and the locus led to the subject (external/internal). The results were considered statistically significant at a level of statistical significance at p< 0.05. IV.2. Results and discussion. Figure 2.1. Superstitious beliefs. The presentation of the frequencies encountered in the studied groups. Superstitious beliefs of the more frequently encountered in the case of the investigated subjects are: Claim No. for the individuals who think that this is true 55 Superstitiile considerate neadevarate de cei mai multi subiecti 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 Incaltat invers Esti maturat= nu te casatoresti Asezat la coltul mesei = nu te casatoresti Menta induce vise profetice Aduce ghinion sa tai painea la ambele capete odata Aduce ghinion daca felia unsa cade cu untul in jos The statement to which most of the subjects stated he was "not sure" if it is true or false, it is "the blue sky of the Christmas year ahead be fruitful" (80 subjects). The category, which includes most of the answers to the affirmative, one is related to the superstitions of the plant (VIII – 260 answers in the affirmative, positive), followed by the one on the superstitions of the object (X 235 answers in the affirmative, positive) and the one related to the human body (XI – 233 are a lot of positive feedback). Section 2.2. Pearson's correlation test showed that there is a correlation, statistically significant differences in the total score from all the categories, and the time of performing the rites: the more a person is, the more superstition (in total), it will have a lot of time performing rituals (R = 0.280, p<0.01). (the hypothesis of no.1) 2.3. If we are talking about the category of what is of direct relevance to the subjects in the study (students) do you mean the one on the superstitions related to the exams, (XIII), (the hypothesis of no.2), we see that : Superstitions related to the exam: the Subjects of which it considers that this statement is: 56 a Fake , I'm Not sure the Real XIII1 by Wearing a specific article of clothing to bring good luck in the exam 63 35 22 XIII2. Good luck to wear your underwear on inside out and carry it to the exam, a 47 a 47 a 26 XIII3. If you put the right foot forward when you step in the exam hall, you will have good luck in the exam, the 44 41 35 XIII4. It brings good luck to your exam, if you wear a subject to a lucky 53 42 25 XIII5. You're in luck on your exam if you stand on a certain spot at a certain bank is in a class of 68 to 32 20 to a Total of XIII 275 197 of 128 Superstition, on the ironing board with the right foot forward into the exam hall, it's the most common occurrence, when the state of a particular place, it is considered to be a fake of the more than one subject. On the whole, the subjects are found to not have too many superstitions related to the exam, the more of the statements is considered to be false. 57 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 Falsa Nu sunt sigur Adevarata Aduce noroc la examen: Purtatul unui anumit ob.vestimentar Imbracatul lenjeriei intime pe dos Calcatul cu piciorul drept in sala Un obiect norocos Statul pe un anumit loc in sala 2.4. The rituals are most often carried out by the subjects themselves. (the hypothesis of no.3) Rituals are performed for the Number. for the individuals who state that they have achieved such a ritual: to Attract good fortune of 46 - Removal of bad luck 13 of Success in an examination, 34 and 60 Real 13 82 - Also, as a person, it is still superstitious (in general), so she's going to put more emphasis on the appearance of other people, as shown by the correlation between the total score (across all categories), and the belief in the statement that "a high forehead indicates that intellectual superiority" (R = 0.199, p<0.05), and in a statement: "the lines of the palm of a person's future" (R = 0.339, p<0.01). The statements are considered true/false: Statement Subjects, who consider the assertion is False for Real Tell me good luck when someone sneezes ? 7 of 113 People born under the influence of the planets, showing the influence of the nature of 24 95 it 's A high forehead indicates the superiority of intellectual 90 to 30 , All men were created equally in terms of their capacity to accomplish something, 31 and 89 of the lines in the palm of a person to predict the future of 53 and 67 is Any defect/disability of mind or body, we can't keep you from anything if you have enough strength of will to 23 of 97 61 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Spun "noroc" Influenta unor planete asupra caracterului Frunte inalta = superioritate intelectuala Toti oamenii au fost creati egali in capacit.de a realiza ceva Anumite linii din palma prezic viitorul Nici un handicap al mintii/corpului nu ne poate retine de la nimic Subiecti care considera ca anumite afirmatii sunt adevarate/false: Falsa Adevarata Almost all patients (94.1%) say "gesundheit" when someone sneezes (which has far more of a courtesy than of superstition). Most of the subjects (80.8%) showed that they had faith in the power of man taking the view that the claim of "No defect/disability of mind or body, we can't keep you from anything if you have enough strength of will" that is true, and 95 subjects (79.1%) believe in the influence of the planets on the character of the man. The assertion on the fact that the forehead may indicate a superiority, intellectual, is the one with which most of the subjects (75%) did not agree with. 2.5 in. In order to see whether there are any differences between the scores obtained by the subjects, depending on the specific characteristics of the demographic, social, and psychological, it has been applied to the T-test (Student) for the difference of means.  Differences based on gender. (the hypothesis of no.4) 62 The women were found to be the most superstitious in regard to the superstitions of the animals (overall score in the class IX: male = 8.3, female = 9.08, p=0.045). In addition, women tend to devote more time to the completion of the rituals (the average of the time spent fulfilling the rituals of the men tending to the "less than a minute," and women's "between the 1-minute and 5-minute").  Differences as a function of the profile of the study: (the hypothesis of no.5) Superstitions relating to the following: the Average total score for category to the students at the Threshold of statistical significance (p) of the difference in the averages of the statistical Significance of the difference in media , Psychology , English Time, 7.88 9.40 0.00 Mark.the state. Marriage 8.18 9.06 0.107 Nesemn.the state. Death 8.53 10.33 0.00 Mark.the state. To Celebrate 9.25 11.53 0.00 Mark.the state. Home 6.96 8.6 The 0.00 Mark.the state. Food 7.28 8.5 0.002 Sign.the state. Clothing 6.27 7.61 0.00 Mark.the state. Plants - 10: 45 The 12.08 0.001 Mark.the state. Animals 8.28 9.10 0.036 Sign.the state. Items 8.80 11.57 0.00 Mark.the state. The human body 8.77 11.72 0.00 Mark.the state. Zesty 8.75 10.18 0.002 Sign.the state. Exam 8.45 9.43 0.09 Nesemn.the 65 The Plant 12.24 10.25 0.00 Mark.the state. Animals 9.54 7.81 0.00 Mark.the state. Items 11.64 8.67 0.00 Mark.the state. The human body 11.55 8.88 0.00 Mark.the state. Zesty 10.38 8.52 0.00 Mark.the state. Exam 9.91 7.93 0.00 Mark.the state. Various 10.72 8.42 0.00 Mark.the state. Total score on all of the blue cross and blue shield. 141.11 114.63 the 0.00 Mark.the state. Of the subjects, with the locus of control and external control (so that it considers that the outside forces that influence/to decide the course of your life, and actions) are more superstitious than those with internal locus, in total, and all of the categories separately. The bigger the differences are recorded in the superstitions relating to a variety of issues, (XII), and the relation to the object (X), and the lowest in the superstitions relating to the home, and (V), and clothing (VII). Also, subjects with an external locus devote significantly more time performing rituals than those with internal locus (average of the time allocated for the completion of the rites of the students with external locus tends to be "in a minute, 5-minutes" over and over, and one of the students with internal locus at "the"). The general hypothesis is confirmed: At the turn of the student, there are still a large number of people who manifest faith in the various rituals, or beliefs, the superstitious. Particular cases: The existence of the correlations are statistically significant differences in the total score (the level of superstition), and the time of carrying out the rites of superstitious (as a 66 person, it is less superstitious, too, so she's going to take a little more time performing rituals) take you to the confirmation of the hypothesis. (the hypothesis of no.1) - The hypothesis, according to which: "the Superstitions related to the exams, are the group of superstitions, the most significant in the life of a student" gets disabled. (the hypothesis of no.2) - The hypothesis, according to which: "The most frequently performed rituals, among them there are those on the success in the exams," he confirmed. (the hypothesis of no.3) - The hypothesis, according to which: "the female gives more time to the fulfilment of superstitious rites than those of the male sex" is confirmed. (the hypothesis of no.4) The existence of the correlations are statistically significant differences in the total score (the level of superstition) to the students in English and the total score of the students in the Psychology, leads to the confirmation of the hypothesis. The students at the English turn out to be more superstitious than the students in the Psychology department. (the hypothesis of no.5) - Subjects with a genetic locus of control and external control are more superstitious than those with internal locus, in total, and all of the categories considered in isolation; therefore, the hypothesis of the work is to confirm. (the hypothesis of no.6) 67 DIFERENTE INTRE MEDIILE SCORURILOR OBTINUTE DE STUDENTII CU LOCUS EXTERN/INTERN LA CATEGORIILE DE SUPERSTITII EVALUATE 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 TIMP CASATORIE MOARTE SARBATORI CASA ALIMENTE IMBRACAMINTE PLANTE ANIMALE OBIECTE CORPUL OM. TALISMANE EXAMENE DIVERSE EXTERN INTERN 26 28 30 32 LOCUS EXTERN LOCUS INTERN DISTRIBUTIA STUDENTILOR PE PROFIL DE STUDII SI LOCUS PSIHOLOGIE ENGLEZA CONCLUSIONS: 70 of the students with external locus tends to be "in a minute, 5-minutes" over and over, and one of the students with internal locus at "the"). NOTES I. INTRODUCTION 1. Stuart A. Vyse. (1997), and Believing in magic. The psychology of superstition,pp. 6 to 12 II.CONCEPTUAL APPROACHES 1. Mielu Zlate, (1999), the Psychology of cognitive mechanisms, Polirom Publishing house, Iasi, romania, pp211-214 2. Mihai Golu, (2002), Foundations of Psychology, the Publishing house of the Foundation of tomorrow's Romania, Bucharest, romania, pp. 291-301 3. - Ana Bogdan-Tucicov, Septimiu Chelcea, Mihai Golu, Center Golu, Catalin Mamali, Peter Iu, (1981) Dictionary of the social psychology Ed. The scientific and encyclopedic, Bucharest, romania 4. Dumitru Cristea, and the Treaty of social psychology, Publishing house of the ProTransilvania, pp.56 to 60 71 5. Adrian Neculau, (1997) the Psychology of the field of social Representations and the social, Editura Polirom, Iaşi 6. RevistaPsihologia, Year X, no. 5-6/2000 (57-58) the Magazine is published in cooperation with the association of psychologists in the Usa. Society, Science & Technical, pp3-4 7. Camille Tarot , From Durkheim to Mauss, the Invention of the simbolicului , the publisher, Amacord , Timişoara, 2001 , pp. 517-518 8. Raymond Boudon, (1992), the Treaty of sociology, Humanitas Publishing house, Bucharest, romania 9. The small dictionary enciclopedic, Editura Ştiinţifică şi enciclopedică, Bucharest, 1986 10. Romanian academy, Institute of linguistics "Iorgu Iordan" the Explanatory Dictionary of the Romanian language,editura Univers Enciclopedic, Bucharest, 1996 11. log on to www.sciencedaily.com/encyclopedia/Superstition 12. Epstein, S. (1994). Integration of the cognitive and the psychodynamic unconscious. American Psychologist 49, p.... 710 13. Stuart A. Vyse, (1997), And Believing in magic. The psychology of superstition, p.... 92 14. summary of the two-source: Stuart A. Vyse, (1997), "Believing in magic. The psychology of superstition,” and at the following internet address: http://www.usi.edu/libarts/psychology/bloom/prelim.htm 15. http://www.nous.org.uk/belief.html 16. summary of the two-source: Stuart A. Vyse, (1997), "Believing in magic. The psychology of superstition,” and at the following internet address: http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Skinner/Pigeon/. "Superstition in the pigeon's house," by B. F. Skinner (Indiana University), was first published in the "Journal of Experimental Psychology",no. 38, 168-172. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. we have used many sources: Stuart A. Vyse, (1997), "Believing in magic. The psychology of superstition"; http://cognitilist.blogspot.com/2003_05_01_cognitilist_archive.html (the study Is Begin); http://www.nous.org.uk/belief.html; Jahoda, G. (1969), "The Psichology of superstițion" 22. Macsinga, J. (2000), "the Psychology of the results of the personality" II.METHODOLOGY 1. we have used many sources, and Opie, P. , Tatem, M. (1989), A dictionary of superstitions, Ed. Oxford University Press, Oxford; Nicolau, J. , Huluță, C. (2000), The Beliefs and superstitions of the Romanian as Arthur Gorovei, and Gh.F. Ciaușanu, Ed. Humanitas, Bucharest, Romania. 72