Superstitions could be a way of people attempting to control or influence their future, a psychology professor from the United States has said.

Don Saucier, associate professor of psychology, Kansas State University, said superstitious behaviors are a way people think they can control their fate by performing certain tasks in a certain way to either help alleviate anxiety or to simply better their chances in a certain situation.

He said that people believe in superstitions to try to restore some prediction and control to their world.