book report

Believeing in Magic, The Psychology of Superstition by Stuart A Vyse is a booked based on all aspects of superstition. In the beginning of the book it talks about what superstition is and how it relates in today’s society. It gives a little something for almost everyone to relate to, in order to draw one into the book. In this book Mr. Vyse mentions many different experiments. For example one is Skinners pigeon experiment and how the pigeon began performing rituals before receiving food.

            Nearing the end of the book Vyse talks about if one grows up being superstitious. He also goes on and talks about the relationships between being superstitious and having a mental disorder. Concluding the book is the topic of expanding ones knowledge on scientist and science as a whole, having more appreciation for them.

            When it comes to my favorite part of the book I could not pick just one topic because for me the two go together. The two topics are superstition in sports and growing up superstitious. When I was little up until now, when it comes to playing sports or watching the Mets or Jets play I would have to wear a certain attire. The Jets and Mets played a huge part of my childhood.

  My friends and I when we were little were always outside doing something. There were trails behind my house and we would ride through them to get to the other neighborhood to play football. When it got dark out we all rode in the same position in line through the trails and would all make sure we were calling out noises to scare whatever it was in the woods away. We were not afraid of the Jersey devil per say but definitely the unknown as a whole.

 (before a Jets game with my jersey on ..Jets and Mets posters in background)

(Another example of how big of a role they play .. my older brothers grave)