2007-02-20 10:11:52 · 3 answers · asked by comedycatalyst 2 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Typically, superstitious behaviour occurs when two things happen together and a causal relationship in incorrectly attributed. So, you wear your green socks and you win the game and you think you won because of the green socks. People develop these kinds of superstitious behaviour all the time and it usually does not disrupt their everyday life in any significant way.
People who have OCD also often develop behaviours that seem superstitious. So, someone may have the need to flip a light switch back and forth ten times before they can leave a room. Usually the reason for this behaviour is not for "luck" but rather to relieve anxiety - often the person believes that this action will prevent some catastrophic event. And compulsive behaviour can seriously interfere with a person's life.
So, I think it is fair to say that people with OCD develop superstitious behaviours but in a different manner and at a level of intensity which is quite different than "normal" superstitions. But "normal" superstitious behaviour does not usually lead to OCD.
2007-02-20 12:42:00 · answer #1 · answered by senlin 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I would not say there is a continuum. Although people who suffer from OCD might sometimes take their habits from superstitions they used to have or develop. Can superstitions lead to OCD? No, not at all. Can OCD lead to having superstitions? Yes.
You can find out more by learning about the OCD's cognition's.
2007-02-24 21:44:35 · answer #2 · answered by Andrine 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
these are related in that the person with disorder feels strongly that if the program isn't followed to the letter something bad may follow.
2007-02-28 15:44:35 · answer #3 · answered by kh50599 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋