Astrological Factors


   
       The August 1978, issue of the quite reputable JOURNAL OF SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY contained an especially thought-provoking
research paper on the influence upon native temperament of astrological sun signs. James Mayo, the author of this study, had been a
graduate student of Hans Eysenck at the University of London. Like most scientific scholars, Eysenck had long considered astrology as
being in the category of myth and nonsense. However, one day Mayo pointed out to him that a crucial astrological hypothesis could be
tested at virtually no cost.
       In essence, Eysenck had available a computer tape which contained a very great deal of research data including (1) the introversion-
extroversion scores, and (2) the birth dates, for 2,324 University of London students. In addition, (3) native emotionality scores were also
available for all of these students. Eysenck was about to use all of these data for research purposes that had nothing to do with astrology.
However, his student, James Mayo, succeeded in convincing Eysenck of the prudence of checking out certain astrology-based hypotheses
“while he was at it”. Again, he might just as well test these astrological hypotheses inasmuch as it would not cost any additional time,
money or trouble to do so. All the necessary data were already there!
       As I have stressed, introversion-extroversion is one of the factors of native temperament that is most strongly related to love-
shyness. Chronically love-shy men tend to be unusually introverted and inhibited.
       For the past 6,000 years, astrological theory has contended that people born under even numbered sun signs (i.e., Taurus, Cancer,
Virgo, Scorpio, Capricorn, and Pisces) are likely to be significantly more introverted and inhibited in their approach to life than people born
under the odd numbered sun signs of Aires, Gemini, Leo, Libra, Sagittarius, and Aquarius. And much to the astonishment of both Mayo
and Eysenck, this is exactly what was found for the 2,324 students studied. It was further found that Taurus, Pisces, Capricorn, and Scorpio
males (in that order) were the most introverted people of all. On the other hand, Sagittarius and Aires people (regardless of sex) were found
to be the most extroverted and outgoing of all people. Simply put, these findings are exactly in accord with what astrological theory has
long predicted.
       Further, for thousands of years water sign people (i.e., Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces) have been believed by astrologers to be highest
on emotionality. And with one exception, this is exactly what Mayo found. Only four of the twelve sun signs scored above the mean on
emotionality; and in order of strength of emotionality these were: Pisces, Aires, Cancer, and Scorpio. Of these four, only Aires was “out of
place”. Aires is not a water sign.
       It needs to be stressed, of course, that the sun sign represents only one small element of a person’s natal chart (horoscope). In fact,
many astrologers consider the ascendant or “rising sign” to be of at least equal importance as the sun sign. And many other practicing
astrologers believe the moon sign to be almost as crucial to accurately understanding a person as the sun and ascendant signs. (The
ascendant sign is the constellation of stars that is on the horizon at the moment of a person’s birth.)
       For most contemporary astrologers each human being has twelve signs: one for each of the eight planets (not counting the Earth), the
sun, the moon, the ascendant constellation (rising sign), and the midheaven constellation. Thus a professional astrologer looks at where
in the heavens each one of these twelve items had been located at the moment of a person s birth. Apart from the rising sign and the
midheaven, the other ten items for any given person could have been located anywhere within the 360 degree circle representing the
heavens. For convenience astrologers divide the 360 degree circle representing the heavens into twelve equal slices that are known as
houses. And each one of these twelve houses entails implications for a different aspect of human life.
       A person’s natal chart (horoscope) is nearly unique. It would require in excess of 25,000 years before another person could be born
with the exact same horoscope as you, the reader. Contrary to widespread popular impression, almost all contemporary astrologers reject
the notion that the sun, planets, and constellations of stars, cause differences in human behavior or personality. To be sure, the position
and fullness of the sun and moon (because of their close proximity to the Earth) may have some temporary effects upon behavior just as
they do upon the tides. But the essential core of astrological causation lies in the concept of synchronicity, a term originally coined by the
late, great psychoanalyst Carl Jung, who at the beginning of his career had been one of Freud’s major disciples.