Replication of the superstition and performance study by Damisch, Stoberock, and Mussweiler
Calin-Jageman and Caldwell ran two replications of the lucky golf ball experiment. Participants told they had a lucky ball performed almost the same as controls, with differences of about two to two and a half percentage points that were not significant. Weak manipulation, low power, task difficulty and differences in belief in luck did not explain the failure. A meta-analysis found significant heterogeneity, and the studies with the strongest designs showed no effect.
Calin-Jageman and Caldwell ran two replications of the lucky golf ball experiment. Participants told they had a lucky ball performed almost the same as controls, with differences of about two to two and a half percentage points that were not significant. Weak manipulation, low power, task difficulty and differences in belief in luck did not explain the failure. A meta-analysis found significant heterogeneity, and the studies with the strongest designs showed no effect.
Written from the abstract and results page read 2026-11-03.
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(2010).” Social Psychology, 45(3), 239-245. doi:10.1027/1864-9335/a000190 https://doi.org/10.1027/1864-9335/a000190