Astrology has long played a major role in many cultures, whether it’s a question of assessing personality, contemplating a romantic relationship or, more generally, knowing one’s destiny. But can a zodiac sign have an impact on wellbeing?
On social media, astrology-related publications number well into the millions. The hashtags #astrology and #astrologia have so far generated 15.8 million and 5.5 million posts on Instagram, while the hashtag #astrology has accumulated over 78 billion views on TikTok.
The phenomenon has become so widespread that it has led to the emergence of trends such as planning the astrological sign of their offspring, scrutinising every personality trait of a favourite fictional character to see if they’re well aligned with your own zodiac sign, and including astrological specifications in one’s search criteria for finding love online.
New personal development practices are also emerging, such as astro-coaching, which combines astrology and psychology.
This passion for the practice raises questions about the association between zodiac signs and wellbeing – which is the focus of a new study by South Korea-based researcher Mohsen Joshanloo, published in the scientific journal Kyklos.
Specifically, he evaluated the potential association between western astrological signs and wellbeing in a sample of 12,791 participants. “Wellbeing” was measured through eight factors: general unhappiness, depressive symptoms, psychological distress, work dissatisfaction, financial dissatisfaction, perceived dullness of one’s life, self-rated health, and unhappiness with marriage.
So, what’s the verdict?
Alas, the analyses carried out show “no robust associations” between astrological signs and any of the “wellbeing variables”. This was true whether or not demographic factors were taken into account.
To confirm these results, Joshanloo conducted an additional analysis, creating a random variable and comparing its influence with that of astrological signs for the same factors linked to wellbeing.
“These findings challenge popular astrological claims about the influence of zodiac signs on wellbeing and quality of life, and underscore the urgent need to increase public awareness of the lack of scientific evidence supporting astrological beliefs through robust public-education initiatives,” notes the researcher’s conclusion, as reported by PsyPost.
“Such initiatives can play a pivotal role in promoting scientific literacy and critical thinking skills, equipping individuals with the rational tools to make informed decisions and challenge pseudoscientific beliefs that lack empirical support.”