Superstitions Shape Perceptions of All-Black and All-White Animals

Black cats are often a sign of bad luck.

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(Credit: Akeem Ranmal/500px via Getty Images)

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Imagine it’s a crisp and sunny fall morning. You just left your local coffee shop, ready to start your day.

Out of the corner of your eye, you catch a glimpse of something moving in the bushes. Is it a squirrel stashing acorns for the winter? A robin fattening up for migration? As you get closer, the image becomes clear, and you unconsciously hold your breath.

It’s a black cat out for its morning stroll.

You pause for a second to decide your next move. Cross the street so the cat can’t cross your path? Muster the courage to walk past it, or even crouch down to pet it? Rationally, you know the idea that a black cat is bad luck is just a silly superstition … but you have an important meeting this afternoon and don’t want to jinx it.

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