Good Habits, Bad Habits: The Science of Making Positive Changes That Stick

by Wendy Wood

Brazilians, for example, use simple rituals, called simpatias, to address everyday problems.20 In a study, U.S. college students, along with Brazilians who themselves used the rituals, rated how effectively twelve simpatias would deal with problems such as quitting smoking, lack of friends, infidelity, and depression. As examples: “Wear a white T-shirt for five days in a row. After that, wash the T-shirt using salted water. Put the T-shirt to dry in the shade. After it has dried, fold the T-shirt and take it to a church.” “In a metal container, put the leaves of a white rose. After that, set fire to the leaves, get the remaining ash from the leaves and put it in a small plastic bag. Take the small plastic bag and leave it at a crossroad. Repeat the procedure for seven days in a row.”