We believe we have greater control over events than we actually do. Even when something is a matter of random chance, we often feel like we’re able to influence it in some way. #judgment ##### Related studies: 1. Cowley, E., Briley, D. A., & Farrell, C. (2015). How do gamblers maintain an illusion of control? _Journal of Business Research_, _68_(10), 2181-2188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.03.018 2. Langer, E. J. (1975). The illusion of control. _Journal of Personality and Social Psychology_, _32_(2), 311-328. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.32.2.311 3. Glass, D. C., Reim, B., & Singer, J. E. (1971). Behavioral consequences of adaptation to controllable and uncontrollable noise. _Journal of Experimental Social Psychology_, _7_(2), 244-257. **[https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(71)90070-9](https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-1031(71)90070-9)** 4. Miller, W. R., & Seligman, M. E. (1975). Depression and learned helplessness in man. _Journal of Abnormal Psychology_, _84_(3), 228-238. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0076720 5. _Optimism bias_. (2019, August 22). The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/optimism-bias/ 6. _Dunning–Kruger effect_. (2020, July 22). The Decision Lab. https://thedecisionlab.com/biases/dunning-kruger-effect/ 7. Ackerman, C. E. (2019, April 7). _Pollyanna principle: The psychology of positivity bias_. PositivePsychology.com. https://positivepsychology.com/pollyanna-principle/ 8. Kahneman, D. (2011). _Thinking, fast and slow_. Macmillan. 9. Lopez-Gonzalez, H., Estévez, A., & Griffiths, M. D. (2017). Controlling the illusion of control: A grounded theory of sports betting advertising in the UK. _International Gambling Studies_, _18_(1), 39-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/14459795.2017.1377747 10. Fenton-O’Creevy, M., Nicholson, N., Soane, E., & Willman, P. (2003). Trading on illusions: Unrealistic perceptions of control and trading performance. _Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology_, _76_(1), 53-68. https://doi.org/10.1348/096317903321208880 11. Matute, H., Blanco, F., Yarritu, I., Díaz-Lago, M., Vadillo, M. A., & Barberia, I. (2015). Illusions of causality: How they bias our everyday thinking and how they could be reduced. _Frontiers in Psychology_, _6_. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00888 12. Lovallo, D., & Kahneman, D. (2003, July). _Delusions of success: How optimism undermines executives’ decisions_. Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2003/07/delusions-of-success-how-optimism-undermines-executives-decisions 13. PlaySmart. (n.d.). _Lottery odds_. OLG PlaySmart – Gambling Facts, Tools and Advice. https://www.playsmart.ca/lottery-instant-games/lottery/odds/ 14. Mele, C. (2016, October 27). Pushing That Crosswalk Button May Make You Feel Better, but …. _The New York Times_. https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/28/us/placebo-buttons-elevators-crosswalks.html 15. Rudski, J. (2004). The illusion of control, superstitious belief, and optimism. _Current Psychology_, _22_(4), 306-315. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-004-1036-8 16. Plante, S. G. (2019, October 23). _“It’s just a big illusion”: How homeopathy went from fringe medicine to the grocery aisles_. Vox. https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/10/16/20910346/homeopathic-homeopathy-holistic-alternative-medicine-oscillococcinum-history ##### Related to: - [[Autonomy Bias]]