The sun, the stars, and your mind.

Reason

Astrology is the study of the belief that the lives of people are affected by the positions of the stars and planets.

There might be a variety of reasons for our belief in Astrology. It can be a coping mechanism through hard-times, for self-discovery, or a simple trick of the Barnum Effect: that descriptions of personalities, like the zodiac, are realistic and specific while in reality, they might apply to anyone.

Rationale

Why do I care about Astrology?

• When traditional institutions in society begin to fail at providing a meaning map for people, it helps with getting through tough times.

• It provides a sense of authority to those who perceive their self as affected by an external locus of control—be it good or bad.

• It acts as validation for one’s understanding of themselves.

• It is based on individualized, specific information which giving it credibility.

What makes it hard to tolerate ambiguity?

• While a coping mechanism for some, astrology also provides a sense of stability in the face of uncertainty.

• Humans have a profound desire to understand the world, which can act as a survival tactic when making life-changing decisions.

• In some cases, an intellectual overload can cause overwhelm, allowing astrology to be a source of easy answers during a difficult time.

How is it so accurate all the time?

• These messages from the stars are often personality descriptors that are vague and all encompassing.

• All of us possess the characteristics most horoscopes mention, albeit to different degrees, the majority of us can relate to their generic descriptions with ease.

• People generally tend to prefer positive and personal ideas or statements, and reject negative, less personal ones, which is a cognitive bias called Subjective Validation.

Role Play

1) Astrology is a great tool for those who:

• are interested in learning how to read people and their thoughts.

• are looking to understand the powers of nature on human beings.

• are discovering the self, or coping through hard or confusing times.

• are easily believing of the influence of supernatural forces on life.

2) Astrology can be accurate often because:

• It is based on centuries of practice and have a good grasp on human personality.

• The messages are personality descriptors that are vague, relatable, and all encompassing.

• It is based on the frequencies of the astro-realm which are known to be accurate.

• The messages are usually emotionally insightful and help guide one in the right direction.

3) Subjective Validation occurs when _________.

• your personal intuition is perfectly in tune with what is happening in life.

• you are able to understand and predict the behaviour of others.

• you need to find meaning in life through external validators.

• you are more inclined towards positive and personal statements over the negative, impersonal ones.

Learning of the Day

Astrology, while considered a pseudoscience, can be a tool to engage with to learn more about the self, especially during times of crisis, when it can seem so comforting and welcoming.

It can provide a sense of stability in the face of uncertainty. Which could be used as a coping mechanism.