The ‘fear’ of Friday 13 has been a superstition for centuries, says Charles Sturt University (CSU) psychology academic Dr Krissy Wilson, who is an expert on superstitions.

 

“The precise origin of Friday 13 is unknown, but many believe it began with the fact that there were 13 present at the Last Supper. Furthermore, Friday was thought unlucky as Christ was crucified on a Friday,” Dr Wilson said.

 

“But in ancient China and Egypt, the number 13 was considered lucky.” 

 

Dr Wilson joked what is most scary about this phobia is the pronunciation of its technical term – paraskevidekatriaphobia. “The therapist who coined the term allegedly suggested that once you can pronounce it, you are cured.”

 

Dr Wilson said fear of the number 13 is one of the most common phobias in the USA and elsewhere, as you may find no number 13 along certain streets, and hotels may not have a 13^th floor.

 

So is Friday the 13^th actually unlucky?

 

“Surprisingly, research has suggested it might be,” Dr Wilson said.

 

“Thinking rationally, it is no more unlucky or different from, say, Tuesday 14 or Monday 27. But if we believe that it is we are likely to moderate our behaviours in ways that may lead to minor misfortunes,and it may become a ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.

 

“For example, we may drive more cautiously for fear of accidents, and avoid certain public places and activities. Scandinavia research compared the number of deaths from traffic accidents on Friday 13 with those on other Fridays, finding that around 38 per cent of traffic deaths involving women were due to anxiety from superstition about the date. A similar UK study examined the relationship between health, behaviour and superstition. It showed that the risk of hospitalisation on that date increased substantially, mostly due to road accidents,” she said.

 

“I recently carried out a poll with students from a first-year psychology class at Charles Sturt University. Of the 100 or so who responded, about 18 per cent considered Friday 13 unlucky and recalled unfortunate incidents from that date in the past. However, unfortunate events, bad news and general mishaps can occur on any given day, but if it occurs on Friday 13, we confer greater significance to that date.”

 

So, what is the solution? Dr Wilson believes that, “Friday 13 is the luckiest day in the world and only good things can happen to you. Bounce out of bed with a smile on your face, be nice to everyone and have positive thoughts all day.