ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Psychological theories of magic

Okay, imagine you are playing pretend with your friends. You can be a princess or a superhero or anything you want. You use your imagination to create a make-believe world where anything is possible!

Well, some people believe that magic works kind of like that. They think that if you believe in something really hard, it can become real. This is called the psychological theory of magic.

These people also believe that our thoughts and beliefs can affect the world around us. So, if we think something is lucky, it might actually bring us good luck. Or if we think someone is evil, they might seem scarier to us.

Psychologists who study magic try to figure out why people believe in it and how it can affect our behavior. They might look at cultural beliefs and superstitions, or they might study how magicians trick our brains into believing something impossible has happened.

Overall, the psychological theory of magic is all about the power of belief and how it can shape our experiences.