Sun Sign Astrology

by Jai Maharaj, Jyotishi, Vedic Astrologer

Here is an excerpt related to Linda Goodman's Sun Signs that exposes the truth about Sun-sign astrology as well as gullibility in general:

"In 1974, one psychologist gave the same general [Sun-sign type] horoscope interpretation to three groups of students. One group was informed that the interpretation was true for most people, while the second group was told the interpretation was based on the year and month in which they were born. The third group was told that the interpretation was based not only on the year and month of their birth, but also on the exact day of birth. All the students received the same horoscope, hand-written by students who were impersonating astrologers. But the original text was taken from Linda Goodman's Sun Signs, one of the most popular and widely read books on astrology. The students had to rate the accuracy of the horoscope reading they received on a scale of one to five.

"Results: All students in the three groups rated the reading they received as fairly accurate. But those who were told that the horoscope was specifically for their day of birth felt it was more accurate than those who were told it was just for anyone. You can fool some of the people all of the time, but the way to do it is to tell them that a horoscope is 'just for them.'"

Snyder, C. R., "Why Horoscopes Are True: The Effects Of Specificity On Acceptance Of Astrological Interpretations", Journal of Clinical Psychology, 30(4), October 1974, pages 577-580.

Cited in: Dean, Malcolm, The Astrology Game. The Inside Story: The Truth About Astrology, Beaufort Books, New York, Toronto, 1980, page 68.