What Makes Some People Think Astrology Is Scientific?

Allum, Nick

doi:10.1177/1075547010389819

Cited by 22 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Overall, the survey found that 41% of those surveyed gave astrology a score of 4 out of 5 when asked to assess how scientific it is. This study, along with others, have however indicated that individuals tend to conflate astrology and astronomy, indeed suggested by a substantially smaller share who assesses the scientific qualities of horoscopes as high, only amounting to 13% (see also Allum, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…Indeed, the same survey reports that the share rejecting astrology as "not at all scientific" in 2012 was at its lowest point since 1983. Another interesting observation from the US survey that has also been reported from Europe (Allum, 2011), is that there is a negative relationship between age and believing in astrology.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…The concept of scientific literacy therefore represents an important societal characteristic, as the lack of it empowers decision-making based on opinions and emotions rather than refutable facts. This paper examines the validity of astrological predictions within the realm of romantic relationships, a concept that is met with considerable skepticism by the scientific community and sometimes viewed as synonymous with scientific illiteracy (Allum, 2011). It is, however, a phenomenon that has been embraced and consulted by sizeable audiences across the world for centuries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data

Helgertz

Scott

2020

Genus

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This paper examines astrology, a concept that is considered unscientific by broad segments of the population in the western world. Despite this, astrology remains for some an important source for advice regarding choices in a range of different matters, including career and relationships. The continuing popularity of astrology may at least partly be linked to an insufficient body of empirical research that has been able to test hypotheses formulated by astrological theory, both due to a lack of data beyond very small study populations as well as astrological predictions frequently being vague and thereby difficult to test. This article examines how differences in astrological favorability influence partner choice in marriage as well as the divorce risk among married couples using longitudinal individual-level data from Sweden over the period 1968-2001. The results fail to provide any consistent evidence to support the notion that astrologically more compatible couples are either overrepresented among observed marital unions or associated with a lower risk of divorce.

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Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data

Helgertz

Scott

2020

Genus

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“…For astronomy communicators, the confusion between astronomy and astrology is a much-referenced example. In this respect, the lack of scientific literacy to distinguish science from pseudoscience is seen as critical [Allum, 2011;Stocklmayer, Gore and Bryant, 2001].…”

Section: Views On the Publicmentioning

confidence: 99%

Communicating astronomy with the public: perspectives of an international community of practice

Anjos¹,

Russo²,

Carvalho³

2021

JCOM

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Communities of practice in science communication can make important contributions to public engagement with science but are under-researched. In this article, we look at the perspectives of a community of practice in astronomy communication regarding (relations with) their public(s). Most participants in this study consider that public(s) have several deficits and vulnerabilities. Moreover, practitioners have little to no contact with (and therefore make no use of) academic research on science communication. We argue that collaboration between science communication researchers and practitioners could benefit the science-public relationship and that communities of practice may be critical to that purpose.

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“…Ancak bir Avrupa Komisyonu raporu insanların en güvendikleri mesleklerin başında doktorların ve bilim insanlarının geldiğini, katılımcıların büyük çoğunluğunun bilimin insanlığın sorunlarına çözüm getireceğine inandığını göstermiştir (Europeans, Science and Technology, 2001). Başka bir çalışma ise insanların hatırı sayılır bir çoğunluğunun bilim ve sözdebilimi birbirinden ayırmada güçlük çektiklerini, sırf '-loji' eki yüzünden astrolojiyi de bir bilim olarak algıladıklarını ortaya koymuştur (Allum, 2011). Bu iki araştırmanın sunduğu bilgiler ışığında insanların astrolojiyi bir bilim, astrologları da bilim insanları olarak algılayarak söylenenleri ciddiye alma riski olduğu çıkarsanabilir.…”

Section: Türkiye'de Astroloji Ve üNiversite İlişkisiunclassified

Astrology pseudoscience and a discussion about its threats to society

Uyar¹

2016

HIG

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sözdebilim olan astrolojinin ülkemizdeki popülaritesi yüksektir. Alanın uygulayıcısı olan astrologlar, medyada ve kendi mecralarında sıklıkla bilimsel alana ait konularda söylem üretmektedir. Türkiye'de üniversitelerde astrolojiye ilişkin birtakım faaliyetler yürütüldüğüne de rastlanmaktadır. Bu makalede öncelikle genel olarak bilim-sözdebilim ayrım problemi ile astrolojinin sözdebilimsel durumu ele alınmıştır. Daha sonra astrolojik söylemlerin ekonomi, eğitim ve sağlık alanında yer alan ve toplum için tehdit oluşturan örneklerine değinilmiştir. Astroloji içerikli tez, tıp fakültesi dergisinde astroloji köşesi ve üniversite sürekli eğitim merkezlerinde astroloji sertifika programları gibi, astrolojinin Türkiye'deki yükseköğretim kurumlarında kendine yer bulduğu örnekler değerlendirilmiş, bu gibi faaliyetlerin alanın yarattığı toplumsal tehditlere katkıda bulunduğu öne sürülmüş, bu durumun eğitim ve yükseköğretimin amaç ve ilkelerine aykırı olduğu iddia edilmiştir. Sonuç kısmında da bu tehditlere karşı geliştirilebilecek, bilimsel okuryazarlığın ve ayrım probleminin ilköğretimden başlayarak her seviye eğitim-öğretim müfredatına dâhil edilmesi, yükseköğretim kurumlarında sözdebilimlere paye verilmesini engelleyecek politikaların benimsenmesi ve astroloji köşelerinin ciddiye alınmaması için sorumluluk reddi uyarısı eklenmesi gibi birtakım yasal düzenleme ve politika önerilerine yer verilmiştir. Anahtar Sözcükler: Astroloji, Ayrım problemi, Sözdebilim ABSTRACT Astrology, a pseudoscience, is highly popular in Turkey. Astrologers, who are its practitioners, produce discourses in the scientific field at the media and at their own platforms. Furthermore, it is possible to find some instances of astrology related activities in Turkish universities. In this article, demarcation of science from pseudoscience and the pseudoscientific status of astrology were discussed in a first place. Next, threats of astrological discourse within economic, educational and medical fields and their threats to society were expressed with some examples. Instances of the astrological activities within higher education institutions, such as an astrology-based master degree thesis, the astrology certificate programs, and an astrology column in an official medical school magazine were evaluated, and it was put forward that they contributed to increase the level of threat and it was also claimed that the existence of astrological activities in the universities contradicts the main purpose and principles of the higher education. In conclusion, some regulatory actions like the implementation of the scientific literacy and demarcation problem to each level of educational curriculum, a general policy for excluding the pseudoscience from higher education institutions and a recommended health warning at the top of the astrology were suggested.

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What Makes Some People Think Astrology Is Scientific?

Cited by 22 publications

References 25 publications

The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data

The validity of astrological predictions on marriage and divorce: a longitudinal analysis of Swedish register data

Communicating astronomy with the public: perspectives of an international community of practice

Astrology pseudoscience and a discussion about its threats to society

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