Why Friday the 13th still intrigues us: a University of Waterloo psychologist’s perspective
Professor Jonathan Fugelsang (University of Waterloo) outlines how humans’ pattern‑seeking and meaning‑making tendencies sustain superstitions like Friday the 13th. He links intuition, analytic reasoning and belief formation, and connects this research to issues of misinformation and public understanding.
Jonathan Fugelsang explains that the human drive to find patterns is adaptive but can produce illusory connections that underlie superstitions. He notes that reliance on intuition can increase susceptibility to such beliefs, while analytical reasoning mitigates it, and stresses that intelligent people may hold conspiratorial or superstitious views. The piece illustrates how university research probes everyday cognition and informs efforts to address misinformation and improve public reasoning.
Read the original story · Université de Waterloo — nouvelles — https://uwaterloo.ca/news/why-friday-13th-still-spooks-us