What is the role of magical thinking in Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)? : Is magical thinking a function of perceived threat?

The literature review examines the question, what is the role of magical thinking in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)? OCD is defined along with an overview of Salkovskis’ responsibility theory, as this is a well-established account of how the symptoms develop and are maintained. Magical thinking is then described and is evaluated in relation to OCD. As there is a lack of consensus as to why individuals think magically this review explores some of the variables that may influence the presence of these thoughts. Personal variables such as culture, religion, age, education and locus of control, in addition to environmental factors such as situational threats, and the commonality of magical thinking in other clinical disorders are reviewed. Finally, the evidence suggesting a relationship between magical thinking and OCD is appraised, followed by the evidence against this relationship. The experimental paper investigates threat and its influence on thinking magically. Five scenarios, which evoked responsibility for harm, were read aloud to participants and they were asked how they would cope. Threat was manipulated by altering the level of controllability of each scenario into two conditions, high and low control. In a sample of 160 University participants, 41% demonstrated magical thinking in low control scenarios and 32% demonstrated magical thinking in high control scenarios. In the low control condition locus of control, magical ideation and OCD symptomatology did not differentiate between participants in those that used magical thinking to control the threat presented and those who did not. Level of OCD symptomology and magical ideation was associated with magical thinking in high control scenarios. The empirical paper concluded magical thinking may be a product of anxiety, which is linked by the feeling of being out of control in situations.