Magic Live is one of the largest magic shows in the world, and this is my first experience attending. It's incredibly exciting! As I meet some of my magic idols here, I'm inspired to write about a recent study that crossed my desk.
If I asked you to imagine the kind of person who enjoys magic, what images come to mind? I'm really curious. For me, it's probably enthusiasts and fans like myself that flash before my mental lens. A new study led by creativity researcher Paul Silva and his colleagues sought to answer this question methodically.
Using a diverse sample of American adults, the researchers examined how a broad range of logical, paranormal, supernatural, and unconventional beliefs could predict attitudes toward magic.
Specifically, they measured:
- Attitudes toward magic (e.g., "I love watching magicians perform tricks").
- Critical thinking and belief in science (e.g., "I use more than one source to understand information for myself" and "I usually check the credibility of the source of information before making judgments").
- Belief in luck (e.g., "Belief in luck is completely rational").
- Paranormal beliefs, which included five subscales: Psi ("Some people can move objects through mental powers"), Witchcraft ("Black magic truly exists"), Superstition ("The number 13 is unlucky"), Spiritualism ("It's possible to talk to the dead," and "Some psychics can predict the future accurately."
- Religious and political views.
What Did They Discover?
The Complex Enjoyment of Magic
Firstly, what correlates with attitudes toward magic? Here is a breakdown of how various factors relate to a dislike of magic (yes, many people out there are reluctant to embrace magic!).
Attitudes and Magic: How Do Skeptical, Unconventional, and Paranormal Beliefs Predict Enjoying Performance Magic?
Positive attitudes toward magic link to higher critical thinking, belief in luck, and support for various paranormal beliefs (like spiritualism, precognition, and superstition). Older individuals generally dislike magic more, and men enjoy it significantly more than women! show is a middle-aged man).
This is all well and good, but what were the key predictors? The researchers used an advanced statistical technique called "random forest models" to identify the most significant effects in the overlapping set of predictors (I must admit, the term "random forest models" sounds magical itself!). They found using this statistical technique this:
Attitudes and Magic: How Do Skeptical, Unconventional, and Paranormal Beliefs Predict Enjoying Performance Magic?
The main factor for enjoying magic was reflective skepticism. This involves actions like checking the source's credibility before making any judgments" and "I often reconsider my experiences so I can learn from them." One major reason people enjoy magic is the fun of solving puzzles and figuring them out. People who are intellectually curious and love puzzles are especially attracted to magic.
As you can see in the breakdown, reflective skepticism was followed by spiritualism, paranormal beliefs in the existence of luck and in one's personal luck, basic open-mindedness, and conspiracist beliefs. Out of the five dimensions of paranormal beliefs, the only one that was uniquely significant was spiritualism. This aspect involves beliefs about a spirit separating from the body, such as by traveling while the person is alive (e.g., "Your mind or spirit can leave your body and travel like astral projection"). Interestingly, spiritualism is the one aspect of paranormal beliefs that most intrigued the great Harry Houdini. A few years before he died, he published a whole book criticizing "fake spiritualism."
This is so fascinating! It appears that two seemingly opposing personality types enjoy magic performances. On one hand, we have the group of skeptical, logical individuals, and on the other hand, we have the group of unconventional and paranormal enthusiasts who enjoy supernatural performances.
As one of my favorite magicians, Joshua Jay, has noted, some audience members genuinely believe that magicians are performing "real magic." In research he conducted with Dr. Lisa Grimm and her team discovered that almost 40% of people believe real magic could be possible (see "What Do Audiences Really Think?").
Magicians are divided on how exactly to handle this situation. I know some magicians who believe it's unethical to let an audience member believe they are performing real magic. However, I had one magician friend whom I respect a lot who bills himself as a "third-generation psychic" tell me that some audience members believe he is truly a psychic and no matter what he says, they won't believe it's real magic. He believes it's okay for people to hold onto their beliefs. In his words.
"It's fine to hold on to their beliefs because they brought them along. My role is to entertain, not to educate or challenge." My job is to entertain, not to educate or challenge. Who am I to tell my audience how to think?"
In my view, magic is for everyone the most die-hard skeptics and pragmatists among us as well as those who might actually be tapping into a supernatural aspect of reality (or who simply believe it's possible).
Just enjoy the magic. That's all that matters.