Psychology
What is The illusion of control?
The illusion of control is our tendency to believe we can influence outcomes that are actually down to chance. People may feel that blowing on dice or choosing their own lottery numbers improves their odds — even though it changes nothing.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains the illusion of control.
Key things to understand
- 1We overestimate our control over random events.
- 2It's strongest when we're personally involved.
- 3It fuels superstitions and risky bets.
- 4It can lead to poor decisions under uncertainty.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the illusion of control?
- The belief that we can influence outcomes that are really determined by chance.
- What's an example of the illusion of control?
- Picking your own lottery numbers or blowing on dice, feeling it improves your odds when it doesn't.
- Why does the illusion of control happen?
- Active involvement and familiar choices make random outcomes feel more controllable than they are.