“The front is a cage in which you have to nervously wait for what will happen. We are under the trajectory of grenades and live in the tension of uncertainty. The case hovers over our heads. When a bullet comes, the most I can do is crouch; I cannot know where it will fall, nor can I change this fact,” wrote Erich Maria Remarque in his remarkable 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 focus on what was within his strength and to stop worrying about what was beyond his control.
Thankfully we don’t live in a trench and no bullets fly over our heads, but if we want to have more inner peace and a more objective view of the world, we should also counter 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 perceived control over events. In practice, we believe we have some control, influence, or power over events, even those that are completely uncontrollable or vastly beyond our influence and will. Attributing lottery or slot machine winnings to our own skill or good luck is an example of the illusion of control, yet in everyday life we fall into this trap all the time.
The illusion of control is part of what is known as a causal bias. Causal illusions refer to deluded beliefs about cause and effect relationships.
In the case of the illusion of control, the “presumed” 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 it was caused by his behavior, thought, desire or will, even though it is not.
We continually fall victim to this type of causal illusion, which largely depends on how we interpret information about the occurrence of events, the factors to which we attribute their cause, and their results.
For this reason, the illusion of control often goes hand in hand with magical thinking. This is demonstrated by a study conducted at Princeton University. In the experiment, participants watched another person shoot a miniature basketball into a hoop. When the participants wanted the player to score, and he did, they believed that the good aim was partly due to their desire, even though it was obvious that observers’ expectations could have no effect on the shot.
This tendency to attribute “supernatural” powers to our will based on incorrect or unwarranted assumptions is called magical thinking. This type of thinking often generates unsubstantiated ideas and explanations in which there is no verifiable cause and effect relationship. However, it often makes us believe that we are omnipotent, leading us to think that we have more control over the environment than we really do.
The upside of believing you are in control
The illusion of control breeds security. It calms us down and helps us make sense of a world that might otherwise seem too chaotic and threatening. Indeed, although it is an illusion, its psychological effects are very real.
Sometimes the illusion of control can be beneficial, especially when it helps us assume our responsibilities. For example, when a person is diagnosed with an illness, they may want to regain control by making diet and lifestyle changes or by following medical care to the letter.
If so, the idea that she can change what happens to him is a good thing because 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 painkillers, they often take lower doses than prescribed by doctors, but no longer experience pain.
Feeling 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 strengthens us and gives us the security necessary to face difficulties.
Of course, this does not mean that we will be successful or that we will achieve the expected results, but at least it helps us to face adversity and allows us to continue learning, so as to become more resilient and mature people.
The negative 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 omnipotent goes against the tide. However, it’s important to be aware that the illusion of control also has a dark side.
A study conducted at the Open University Business School warns us about 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 we are “omnipotent,” we are more likely to ignore environmental warning signs that things really aren’t in our control. The illusion of control makes us more insensitive to feedback, which can cause us to take unnecessary risks.
It also makes us more vulnerable to guilt and remorse. If we disrespect 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 underlies survivor guilt, a state that generates profound suffering in the person who outlives the other because they are convinced that they could have done something to save them, when in reality they are not.
Therefore, we must find a balance between what we can really control and what is not up to our will. A more realistic view of the extent of our actions will allow us to develop a more objective picture of the world, without falling into impotence, but also without thinking we are omnipotent. In this way we can strive to change what we can and accept what is beyond our control, learning to flow with the forces of life. The result is not resignation, it is serenity.
