A new study examines why people who pride themselves on their rationality believe in superstitions and magical thinking.

Researchers from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business found that even when people recognize that their belief does not make sense, they sometimes still adhere to the irrational part of their brain anyway, The Washington Post reported.

"Even when the conditions are all perfect for detecting an error -- when people have the ability and motivation to be rational and when the context draws attention to the error -- the magical intuition may still prevail," Jane Risen, associate professor of behavioral sciences and an author of the study, said in a statement.

Risen refers to this process of "detecting irrational thought and choosing not to correct it" as "acquiescence." Understanding this process can help provide some insight into how people knowingly cling to superstitions and behave irrationally in many areas of their life.

"People may acquiesce if they can rationalize their intuition by thinking that a particular situation is special. Acquiescence may also be more likely if the costs of ignoring rationality are low relative to the costs of ignoring intuition -- as with people who receive a chain letter; they acknowledge it is irrational to believe that breaking the chain brings bad luck, but still forward the letter," researchers said in a press release.

Risen said her findings have implications for "how people make decisions at home, at work and in public life." Interventions that recognize detecting irrational thought and choosing not to correct it is are two separate processes, not one as most dual-system cognitive models assume, can effectively change people's behavior.

The findings will be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Review.