Nearly 70% of American adults check their horoscopes every day. Nevertheless, the American Federation of Astrologers seems to think so. Research conducted twenty years ago by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life found that 25% of Americans believe that planetary and stellar positions impact our everyday lives. According to the 2012 General Social Survey, 34% of American adults see astrology as “very” or “scientific.” The percentage of adults who view astrology as “not at all scientific” decreased from 63% to about 50%.
Astrology is the belief in the capacity of celestial occurrences to affect our everyday lives and personality characteristics. For example, it may be that the stars above when you were born had an impact or that Mercury was retrograde. Astronomy, the scientific study of space, celestial objects, and the cosmos’ mechanics, is considerably different from this.
What Gives People Faith in Astrology?
Having faith in astrology may serve as a means of self-soothing. According to research, when life becomes complicated, it helps individuals make sense of things. When one needs solace, astrology becomes a useful instrument.
In times of great upheaval, such as the Great Depression of the 1930s and the interwar years in Germany, astrology has historically attracted a larger audience. In more recent times, with the coronavirus epidemic, astrology saw a surge. Why?
Sense of Control
Those who place their sense of agency in the universe may also find solace in astrology. When things go wrong, somebody with an external locus of control will blame those forces; when things go well, they will blame chance.
Thus, astrology may pique their interest because it might bestow a stroke of good fortune that would encourage them to pursue other kinds of self-stimulation. A further possibility is that it’s all just an illusion.
Identifying One Self
Astrology is often seen as a means by which individuals seek affirmation for their sense of self or self-perception. I couldn’t agree more. It’s a great resource for individuals to hone their special talents and get support when needed.
Less Ambiguity
People with difficulty dealing with uncertainty could also find astrology appealing. Like a coping strategy, it may give you a feeling of security even when things aren’t always clear-cut.
We humans have an innate need to know how everything works. Better choices for our family and ourselves may be made if we can comprehend what is happening around us. This strategy is about staying alive.
How Can It Be Harmful For You?
Because people naturally want their lives to line up with their zodiac sign, they unknowingly build expectations and act in a way that confirms them. No sorcery or prophecy is involved; rather, it is the brain’s natural tendency to seek associations and interpretations.
Horoscopes influence more than just our day-to-day actions. Reading the ink-covered pages of a newspaper’s culture section could influence how individuals see themselves.
People form expectations when they read things, particularly when those things are about themselves, even if they don’t believe them. The idea that [that forecast] may happen to you one day will stick with you even if you don’t think the source is credible.
But not everyone reacts in the same way. The route from anticipation to reality may be skewed by locus of control, personal inclinations, and neuroticism, among other factors. For instance, heightened demand for control may explain why more neurotic people believe in horoscopes and check them often.
Although astrology’s allure—the sun signs, moon cycles, and mercury retrogrades—is consistent with many other belief systems concerning character, comprehension, and connection, it is astounding that it can impact anyone who takes a look at the morning paper while having breakfast or riding the subway.
Ensuring people know that horoscope reading has an impact is crucial. People are the ones making the horoscope true, not the horoscope itself.
While horoscopes impact people’s lives to different degrees, their effect on the subconscious is undeniable. When individuals are certain that their actions will positively impact them, they tend to act more confidently. Looking to the skies for guidance when you feel uninspired is a good idea. You may find some nice inspiration.
