Some Thoughts on Magic: Its Use and Effect in Undergraduate Student Life
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TOTEM 179 Some Thoughts on Magic - Its Use magic by American and Irish college and Effect in Undergraduate students and their beliefs about the ability of Student Life magic to alleviate anxiety and produce favourable outcomes (1979:587). They asked a selected group of sociology students Linda Howie, Mike Sattin, Simon Coutu, to complete a questionnaire which ranked a Mike Furlong, Madison Wood, and Erik series of activities according to the degree of Petersson anxiety the students felt in undertaking them and the students’ use of magic in con- Introduction junction with the activities. Included in the Exploring Bronislaw Malinowski’s list were sports, illness, gambling, dangerous (1954) claim that people will resort to activities, and face-to-face interactions such performing magical practices as a means of as dating and interviews (Gmelch and gaining a degree of control over uncertain Felson 1979:587-588). Absent from the list and unpredictable situations, George were activities associated with the per- Gmelch (2009, 1978) looked at the use of forming arts, such as music and theatre. magic in American baseball – its nature, Based on the quantitative analysis of the prevalence, function, and effect. He found students’ responses, Gmelch and Felson that modern-day baseball players were not (1979: 588-589) concluded the following: so unlike Trobriand fishermen of the 1920’s- 1. American students used magic more 30’s, employing magic as an attempt to frequently in activities such as sports sway chance outcomes in their favour. The and gambling, where the outcomes are lasting contribution of Gmelch’s baseball relatively uncertain. study lies not only in the recognition that the 2. Both groups of students used magic taboos, fetishes (e.g. good luck charms) and less frequently in situations (such as rituals followed by American athletes are in illness) where the outcome was more fact forms of magic, but that they constitute certain. habitual and repeated practices performed 3. Students who used magic made them with the same intent and ultimate effect as in feel better as it relieved anxiety. Trobriand fishing and myriad other 4. The students’ use of magic derived culturally specific situations worldwide: to from a belief in its potential ability to reduce anxiety. alter the forces of luck rather than its Gmelch (Gmelch and Felson 1979) ability to reduce anxiety. subsequently expanded his investigation of 5. Although students who used magic did the use of magic in industrialized societies not believe strongly in its efficacy in by conducting a quantified study of the terms of its ability to produce relationship between uncertainty and magic. favourable or desired results, they used In this study, undertaken with Richard it in uncertain situations anyway, as a Felson, a central objective was to determine ‘just in case’ measure. whether the use of magic in uncertain situations was motivated by experiential The following collection of short knowledge of its ability to reduce anxiety essays presents the thoughts and reflections through its performance or, alternately, of some first year cultural anthropology whether its use was rooted in cognitive students at The University of Western processes relating to belief in its ability to Ontario about their use of magic in sports, alter the forces of luck. As a case study, performance arts, and other situational Gmelch and Felson examined the use of TOTEM vol 19 2010-2011 TOTEM 180 contexts. In these insightful and inspiring like to sit calmly in a certain area of the ice, pieces, the students explore the nature and stretching, relaxing and attempting to function of magic in contemporary student visualize the upcoming game, whereas life, drawing on their own personal others like to hit the cross-bar during the experiences. Their perspectives offer an warm-up to prove to themselves that they opportunity to reflect on the commonalities are feeling confident with their skills. There and differences in these Canadian students’ are also those who prefer to have a bad experiences with magic and those of the warm-up so that they do not ‘waste’ good American and Irish students evaluated by shots. Players may develop certain rituals Gmelch and Felson in the 1970’s. because they worked once and thus are repeated to increase the chances of similar Wizards on ice: the magic of hockey successes. For instance, I found that if I was Mike Sattin silent and contemplative before a game, I George Gmelch’s (2009) article, would play better and, therefore, I began to Baseball Magic, presents a detailed do this on a regular basis. One of my friends portrayal of the use of rituals, taboos, and used to put his skates on before he put his fetishes (like good luck charms) in the sport pants on for the same reason. Although this of baseball. As a sports fan and player, I was very impractical, he said that he have witnessed (and even practiced) many continued to do this because he scored a of Gmelch’s examples of magic, as well as goal every time. Another important ritual their equivalents in other sports. Hockey is performed by many teams is listening to a one such sport where magic and certain song before going out onto the ice. superstitions figure prominently. Although This ‘pump-up’ song seems to motivate magic may not physically affect the way a players to play harder and it is often chosen game is played, it does give players because it was played continually during a confidence in their abilities, which seems to winning streak. manifest itself in a psychological advantage Taboos are also prevalent in hockey that leads to increased performance. and most players adhere to them at all cost. The most common way to bring The most well-known hockey taboo is that magic into a sport is through rituals and teams and players must avoid holding the routines repeated on a regular basis. These Stanley Cup until they actually win it rituals usually have no logical advantage and themselves. An example of how seriously are usually established and repeated due to players take this taboo is when Rob some sort of previous success, as Gmelch Niedermayer refused to touch the Stanley (2009) describes in his article. One of the Cup for the entire summer he was at home most vivid examples of this in hockey is the with his brother, Scott Niedermayer, after way goalies will often prepare themselves in Scott won it in 2003 playing for the New their crease before every game. Some Jersey Devils. It was not until four years goalies take this ritual to great extremes and later (in 2007), when the two brothers were talk to their goal posts throughout the game, playing for the same team (the Anaheim like Patrick Roy used to do when playing for Ducks), that both were able to hoist the Cup both the Montreal Canadiens and the over their heads. There is a similar taboo Colorado Avalanche. associated with the Prince of Wales Trophy Another important ritual that most and Clarence S. Campbell Bowl, which are players develop over time is the specific awarded to the champions of the Eastern and way they warm-up for a game. Some players Western conferences, respectively, during TOTEM vol 19 2010-2011 TOTEM 181 the playoffs. In this case, however, players the tape on the stick contributed in some avoid holding these lower-level trophies way to the goals and, therefore, should not because they do not want to ‘jinx’ be discarded. themselves, the Stanley Cup being the It would seem that magic is just as ultimate trophy and the only one worthy of important in hockey as Gmelch proposes it real celebration. Probably the most visible is in baseball, since players in both sports taboo in the NHL involves the ‘playoff use magic for the same reason: they believe beard’. For at least two months and then it will enhance their abilities even though continuing as long as their team is in the there is no scientific evidence that it actually playoffs, most NHL players refrain from does. What is interesting is that regardless of shaving their facial hair and thus grow a the lack of proof of its effectiveness, magic ‘playoff beard’. Although there is no real is still omnipresent and widespread in evidence that adherence to this taboo brings sports. As in baseball, the different forms of about greater playoff success, the perceived magic used by hockey players seem to efficacy of the playoff beard is linked to the function in the same way: they increase fact that the New York Islanders managed to players’ confidence and thus reduce their win four Stanley Cups during the 1980’s and anxiety. In addition, players continue to use did not shave during any of their playoff magic even though it has no ‘logical’ runs. The belief is that this impressive bearing on the outcome of a game. Perhaps record of wins, being quite rare, must have most important, therefore, is the contribution been somehow linked to their beards! magic makes to psychological aspects of the In my experience, fetishes – the term game, by enabling players to feel that they Gmelch (2009) uses to refer to ‘good luck have done all that they can to bring about a charms’ – are not as prevalent in hockey as favourable or desired outcome. they might be in other sports such as baseball. Nonetheless, they still play an Routines and rituals at the rink important role in bringing about a positive Simon Coutu mindset for some hockey players. The most Rituals and other forms of magic common type of good luck charm used by such as good luck charms are used almost hockey players is a specific piece of every day of an athlete’s life.