Assignment
Superstitions, like beliefs, are based on the supernatural. Superstitions have a supernatural causality. Beliefs have a supernatural foundation. Neither is scientifically falsifiable, but that doesn't make them any less important to those who believe. The desire or need to believe in a force outside of ourselves has been a common thread throughout human history.
We learn superstitions and beliefs as children, and we quickly understand the difference. Both have supernatural connections, but they are not both equally respected and upheld.
However, superstitions linger in cultures around the world, including our own. We may not recognize them as superstitions because they are entrenched in our current beliefs, behaviors, traditions, and practices, but nevertheless, they persist. In this discussion, we are going to learn more about superstitions and our modern connections to them.
Before you begin, be sure to review the following resources:
Where do Superstitions Come From?
Instructions
Choose a superstition you either practice or have heard about. Be sure not to confuse a superstition with an urban legend. A superstition is a belief or practice resulting from supernatural causality.)
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Walking under a ladder
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Fingers Crossed
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Breaking a mirror
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Stepping over a broom
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Friday the 13th
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Knock on wood
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Hanging a horseshoe
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Dreaming of a fish
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Spilling salt
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Carrying a rabbit's foot
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Opening an umbrella indoors
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Wearing an item of clothing for luck
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Saying "God Bless You" after you sneeze
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Finding a four-leaf clover
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Finding a penny
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Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue
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Research information about the superstition you have chosen. You must include at least one resource for your chosen superstition and document it.
This assignment should be approximately one page in length. Please avoid formatting any of the writing assignments this term in a question and answer format. The document must be submitted in APA format.
In your paper, address the following:
A. What is the superstition you have chosen? Explain the supernatural causality.
B. How did you hear of it? Is it something practiced in your culture or another culture?
C. What is the history of your chosen superstition? What is the possible origin? Explore where it might be from and how it may have altered over the years.
D. Research a similar superstition in other cultures. For example, if you have chosen "Dream of a Fish," what other cultures have superstitions involving dreaming of fish or other fertility dreams? Be specific about your findings and be sure to compare and contrast them.
E. Based on what you are learning this week about cultural transmission and cultural diffusion, why might there be similarities in your chosen superstition in different cultures around the world?