Gaby
The team from Keimyung University in South Korea has criticized astrology. According to the researchers, the zodiac sign under which you were born does not influence your happiness, and the movement of planets has no direct impact on people’s destinies.
The zodiac consists of 12 constellations that mark the Sun’s annual path. Each of us is born under a specific sign, and throughout our lives we often check our actions against it. But is there any reason to believe our stars determine our fate?
What the Researchers Discovered
In a new study, scientists analyzed data from 12,791 volunteers, measuring well-being across eight indicators: overall unhappiness, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, job dissatisfaction, financial dissatisfaction, feelings of boredom with life, self-rated health, and marital dissatisfaction.
Next, the researchers examined the participants’ birth dates, as reported by ILFScience. The team aimed to see if zodiac signs had any influence on life success or feelings of happiness.
It turned out that such a connection was nearly nonexistent.
“The coincidences were almost zero in all cases; this indicates that knowledge of zodiac signs does not provide significant information for predicting a person’s level of well-being,” the researchers stated.
“The results contradict astrologers’ claims that zodiac signs shape people’s tendencies, fate, or their likelihood of happiness or success,” they added.
According to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2018, about 29 percent of Americans believe in astrology. There is evidence that this number is increasing, especially among young people.
Many people assume their sign influences their personality, life outcomes, and well-being. Scientists say that idea is appealing, but the evidence doesn’t support it. Science has tested these claims repeatedly and found no proof that celestial bodies influence people’s lives.
The team says the priority should be boosting scientific literacy and critical thinking. People shouldn’t rely on pseudoscientific beliefs that lack empirical support; they should be given rational tools to make better decisions in their lives.
The results of the study were published in the journal Kyklos.
