In "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," in what way is Ichabod easily manipulated by local superstitions and folklore, despite his knowledge and education?

Ichabod Crane of "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" has a penchant for tales of the supernatural, enjoying the "direful tales" of Cotton Mather's History of New England Witchcraft, which "flutters his imagination."  Another source of his "fearful pleasure" is to spend "long winter evenings with the old Dutch wives" as they sit spinning their cloth and tales before the fires of their cottages.  Thus, he feeds his imagination with superstitious tales," even contributing to the gossip by delighting the women

by his anecdotes of witchcraft, and of the direful omens and portentous sights and sounds in the air, [and with] speculations upon comets and shooting stars; and with the alarming fact that the world did absolutely turn round....

However, Irving writes that if there were

pleasure in all this, while snugly cuddling in the chimney corner of a chamber that was all of a ruddy glow...where, of course, no spectre dared to show his face, it was dearly purchased by the terrors of his subsequent walk homewards.

When Crane walks in the night, his imagination and his past knowledge of Mther's book work against him, igniting his fears.  He often dreads "to look over his shoulder."

Finally, these terrors of the night are added to the "perplexity" of loving a woman.  Ichabod loves Katrina Van Tassel, but another man, much bigger and stronger, desire her, too.This man, Brom Van Brunt, contributes to Crane's fear one evening at the Van Tassel "castle" where a gathering is celebrating.  Added to this intimidation, Ichabod hears many tales of ghosts and apparitions, including that of the "favorite spectre of Sleepy Hollow, the Headless Horseman.  After his rejection by Katrina, Ichabod "sallied forth" into the night, "quite desolate and chop-fallen" into the "very witching time of night."  In this state of mind, all the stories of goblins and ghosts enter the vivid imagination of Ichabod.  When he thinks he sees the Headless Horseman, who is probably Brom Van Brunt," an emotionally dejected and mentally defeated Ichabod who is already fearful of his robust romantic rival becomes terrified.