据10月3日的《科学》（Science）杂志报道说，当个人对一种处境缺乏控制能力的时候，他们更容易看到某些实际并不存在的模式，希望籍此恢复其对这种处境的控制能力。但是，自我肯定的训练可以减少某个人的这种被称为错觉模式感知的欺骗性现象。这些发现证实了长期存在的信念，即对某种模式的感知是一种由缺乏控制能力的无助感所引起的一种代偿性的机制。他们还对如何克服这种错觉模式感知提供了见解。
Jennifer Whitson 和Adam Galinsky在人类受试者中开展了6个试验。在这些试验中，他们诱发出一种缺乏控制能力的情况并用多种不同的刺激来测度错觉模式感知以得出这些结论。他们发现，在不同的试验中，缺乏控制能力的试验参与者会感受到更多的错觉模式，如，在喧闹声中看到画面，在股票市场资讯中形成错觉性模式，感受到阴谋论以及出现迷信信念等。研究人员提示，感知模式，即使是错觉性的，也足以使缺乏控制的无助感得到安慰，并甚至会不时地令人适应它，但人们可以通过自我肯定的训练来减少这种错觉性感知模式。（生物谷Bioon.com）
生物谷推荐原始出处：
Science，Vol. 322. no. 5898, pp. 115 - 117，Jennifer A. Whitson，Adam D. Galinsky
Lacking Control Increases Illusory Pattern Perception
Jennifer A. Whitson1* and Adam D. Galinsky2
We present six experiments that tested whether lacking control increases illusory pattern perception, which we define as the identification of a coherent and meaningful interrelationship among a set of random or unrelated stimuli. Participants who lacked control were more likely to perceive a variety of illusory patterns, including seeing images in noise, forming illusory correlations in stock market information, perceiving conspiracies, and developing superstitions. Additionally, we demonstrated that increased pattern perception has a motivational basis by measuring the need for structure directly and showing that the causal link between lack of control and illusory pattern perception is reduced by affirming the self. Although these many disparate forms of pattern perception are typically discussed as separate phenomena, the current results suggest that there is a common motive underlying them.
