imitative magic

American  

noun

1. magic that attempts to control the universe through the mimicking of a desired event, such as by stabbing an image of an enemy in an effort to destroy them or by performing a ritual dance imitative of the growth of food in an effort to secure an abundant supply; a branch of sympathetic magic based on the belief that similar actions produce similar results.

---

Example Sentences

That is a belief in what is also called imitative magic: things that resemble each other have similar powers.

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2011

“Consumers use contagious and imitative magic to imbue replica instruments with power,” Dr. Fernandez and Dr. Lastovicka write in a forthcoming issue of the Journal of Consumer Research.

From New York Times • Mar. 9, 2011

A mistaken association of similar ideas produces homoeopathic or imitative magic: a mistaken association of contiguous ideas produces contagious magic.

From The Golden Bough by Frazer, James George, Sir

The intention was primarily to imitate the course of the sun through the heavens, and so, on the principle of imitative magic, to strengthen it.

From The Religion of the Ancient Celts by MacCulloch, J. A.

Sometimes homoeopathic or imitative magic is called in to annul an evil omen by accomplishing it in mimicry.

From The Golden Bough by Frazer, James George, Sir