No, You Are Not Rational — Magical Thinking and the Illusion of Control

The most foolish people I have ever met are those who believe in the innate rationality of humankind.

In truth, humans have thrived in part because we are not rational; cognitive neuroscientists who study the interface of the mind and the material world point out that we are wired to engage in “magical thinking” and thus have cognitive biases (thinking errors) that are entirely non-rational and operate beneath the level of conscious awareness. These are shortcuts taken by our brains to help us navigate life.

We’re engaging in magical thinking when we believe that one thing happens as a result of another without a legitimate link of causation.

This research helps us have a better understanding of the ways our minds work — both for us, and against us. They’ve identified a number of cognitive biases, or innate mental shortcuts, that allow us to make inferences without excessive thought and deliberation.

One of those biases is “the illusion of control.’

Magical thinking and the illusion of control benefit us in multiple ways; when we believe we are in control of a situation our anxiety goes down. Magical thinking can give us hope, and often a sense of higher purpose and meaning. Those are benefits.