question. Some people view magic chiefly as a kind of insurance to be used along with actions that actually are known to bring results. For example, hunters may use a hunting charm to fend off bad influences that may drive game away or to invoke favorable influences that will attract game to them. They actually also use their hunting skills and knowledge of animals. The charm may give hunters the extra confidence they need to hunt even more successfully than they would without it. Likewise, farmers may use charms, signs, or ritualistic practices to supplement their farming skills by hopefully influencing the elements to favor them with a successful harvest, and practitioners of primitive medicine may use potions and incantations to supplement the effects of their efforts. Nevertheless, if people use magic to bring a good harvest or to cure a patient, they may believe the magic was responsible despite the considerable contribution of their own efforts. People also tend to disregard magic’s failures and to be more influenced by apparent successes. Even when magic fails, people often explain the failure without doubting the power of the magic. They may say that the magician made a mistake in reciting the spell or that another magician used a more powerful spell against the magician. Many anthropologists assert that people trust in magic because they have a need to believe in it. People may resort to magic to assuage their fear and doubts if they feel they have no way of controlling the outcome of a situation.