title: Science versus the stars: a double-blind test of the validity of the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and computer-generated astrological natal charts.
abstract: The authors asked 52 college students (38 women, 14 men, M age = 19.3 years, SD = 1.3 years) to identify their personality summaries by using a computer-generated astrological natal chart when presented with 1 true summary and 1 bogus one. Similarly, the authors asked participants to identify their true personality profile from real and bogus summaries that the authors derived from the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI; P. T. Costa Jr. & R. R. McCrae, 1985). Participants identified their real NEO-FFI profiles at a greater-than-chance level but were unable to identify their real astrological summaries. The authors observed a P. T. Barnum effect in the accuracy ratings of both psychological and astrological measures but did not find differences between the odd-numbered (i.e., favorable) signs and the even-numbered (i.e., unfavorable) signs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Box 5621, Connecticut College, New London, CT 06320, USA.
authors.forename: Alyssa Jayne
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Wyman
authors.forename: Stuart
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vyse
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001255:Astrology / Q000523:psychology*; D001364:Awareness; D002605:Character; D003469:Culture; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007600:Judgment; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012984:Software / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*