“The front is a cage in which one must nervously wait for what will happen. We are under the trajectory of the grenades and we live in the tension of uncertainty. Chance hovers over our heads. When a shell arrives, the most I can do is duck; I cannot know where it will fall, nor can I change that fact”, wrote Erich Maria Remarque in his extraordinary work “All Quiet on the Western Front”, in which he recounts the horrors of the First World War.
There he learned that he could not fight against chance, chaos and uncertainty. He also learned that he couldn’t control everything. In fact, very few things were under his control. He learned to concentrate on what depended on his strength and to stop worrying about what was beyond his will.
Fortunately, we do not live in a trench and no bullets fly over our heads, but if we want to have more inner peace and develop a more objective view of the world, we should also counteract the illusion of control. We need to get rid of the idea that we can control everything that happens and open ourselves more to chance and uncertainty.
What is the illusion of control?
The illusion of control is the tendency to overestimate the perceived control over events. In practice, we believe that we have some control, influence or power over events, even those that are completely uncontrollable or largely beyond our influence and will. Attributing lottery or slot machine winnings to our skill or good luck is an example of the illusion of control, yet in everyday life we continually fall into this trap.
The illusion of control is part of what is known as causal bias. Causal illusions refer to delusional beliefs about cause-effect relationships.
In the case of the illusion of control, the “supposed” cause would be the person’s action, thought, desire, or intention for a certain effect to occur. If that effect materializes, the person falls into the illusion of control because he believes that it has been caused by his behavior, thought, desire or will, although in reality it’s not.
We are continually victims of this type of causal illusions, which largely depend on the way in which we interpret the information about the occurrence of events, the factors to which we attribute their cause and their results.
For that reason, the illusion of control often goes hand in hand with magical thinking. This is shown by a study conducted at Princeton University. In the experiment, participants watched another person shoot a miniature basketball through a hoop. When the participants wanted the player to shoot in and he did, they believed that the good aim was partly due to the player’s desire, although it was obvious that the expectations of the observers could not have any effect on the shot.
This tendency to attribute “supernatural” powers to our will based on erroneous or unjustified assumptions is called magical thinking. This type of thinking often generates unfounded ideas and explanations in which there is no verifiable cause-effect relationship. However, it often leads us to believe that we are all-powerful, leading us to think that we have more control over the environment than we really have.
The positive side of believing that we are in control
The illusion of control generates security. It calms us down and helps us make sense of a world that might otherwise seem too chaotic or threatening. In fact, although it is an illusion, its psychological effects are very real.
Sometimes the illusion of control can be beneficial, especially when it helps us to assume our responsibilities. For example, when a person is diagnosed with an illness, he may want to regain control by making changes to his diet and lifestyle or by following medical treatment to the letter.
In that case, the idea that he can change what happens to him is positive since it allows him to take the necessary steps to take better care of himself. It has also been noted that when hospitalized patients are allowed to self-administer pain medication, they often take lower doses than prescribed by doctors, but experience no more pain.
Feeling that we are in control can also push us to take a more active and optimistic attitude, even if the real chances of success are low. In practice, the illusion of control can provide us with the extra dose of motivation we need. It can become an element that empowers us and gives us the necessary security to face difficulties.
Of course, that does not mean that we will succeed or that we will achieve the expected results, but at least it helps us to face adversity and often allows us to continue learning, so that we become more resilient and mature people.
The adverse effects of the illusion of control
In the midst of the dictatorship of Positive Psychology, with bestsellers like “The Secret” and optimistic phrases adorning mugs and t-shirts, thinking that our will is not all-powerful goes against the tide. However, it is important to be aware that the illusion of control also has a darker side.
A study carried out at the Open University Business School alerts us to the “adverse effects” of the illusion of control. These researchers found that brokers who believe they have more control over the market perform worse at their jobs. Another experiment conducted at Stanford University confirmed that the more powerful we feel, the stronger the illusion of control becomes and the more we disconnect from reality.
In fact, the greatest danger of the illusion of control is that it blinds us to signals from the environment. If we believe that we are “almighty,” we are more likely to ignore environmental warning signs that things are really not in our control. The illusion of control makes us more insensitive to feedback, which can put us at unnecessary risk.
It also makes us more vulnerable to guilt and remorse. If we do not respect the forces of chance and believe that everything depends on our will or desire, we will be more likely to blame ourselves for calamities that have nothing to do with our decisions or behavior.
In fact, the illusion of control is at the base of survivor’s guilt, a state that generates deep suffering in persons who survives others because they are convinced that they could have done something to save them, when in fact they couldn’t.
Therefore, we need to find a balance between what we can really control and what does not depend on our will. A more realistic view of the scope of our actions will allow us to develop a more objective image of the world, without falling into helplessness, but without thinking that we are all-powerful. In this way we can strive to change what we can change and accept what escapes our hands, learning to flow with the forces of life. The result is not resignation, it is peace of mind.
Sources:
Fenton, M. et. Al. (2010) Trading on illusions: Unrealistic perceptions of control and trading performance. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology; 76(1): 53-68.
Fast, N. J. et. Al. (2009) Illusory Control: A Generative Force Behind Power’s Far-Reaching Effects. Psychological Science; 20(4): 502-508.
Pronin, E., Wegner, D. M., McCarthy, K., & Rodriguez, S. (2006). Everyday magical powers: The role of apparent mental causation in the overestimation of personal influence. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology; 91(2): 218–231.