There are many curious traditions that people hold onto all their lives. Superstitions stay with us from childhood. Many adults hold onto these beliefs, whether they truly believe them or not.
If you swallow chewing gum will it stay in your tummy forever? Will bad things happen if you see an owl in the daytime? If a candle flame suddenly turns blue, is a ghost nearby? If you sit too close to the television will you get square eyes? Will placing a hat on a bed bring bad luck?
From knocking on wood to refusing to walk alongside a black cat, you will most likely find at least one superstition that you can't quite let go.
Psychologist Sally-Anne McCormack told The Huffington Post Australia some of us are fearful that if we break a rule, such as stepping on a crack or breaking a mirror, bad luck will fall on us.
"We're afraid to test out the theory, just in case something bad happens. Sometimes superstitions are created because some people have difficulty in believing that things happen outside of their control. They have a need to believe that they had the ability to influence the situation or outcome by an action that they engaged in. For example, my mother survived an operation because I wrote her a letter telling her I love her," McCormack said.
"Superstitions stay with us as much as 'old wives tales' do. These are generally accepted across generations as facts, and we typically have little interest in challenging them. The more superstitious people may be too anxious to challenge them."
Many people avoid cracks on a path because that is what they did as children; rather than because they believe their mother's back will be broken. McCormack said super superstitions stay with us because they are familiar.
For others, they do not want to 'tempt fate' just in case these are true. And for others it may simply be a 'rule' where they may have forgotten the possible consequence. 'I don't open umbrellas in the house, but I can't remember what is meant to happen if I do.'