Fixating on the future: An overview of increased astrology use

Abstract

Background:

Interest in astrology has surged recently, possibly due to the uncertain conditions in the world due to the Covid-19 pandemic. While belief in astrology is common and socially legitimized in many cultures, a few instances of excessive engagement with astrological services or “fortune-telling addiction” are indicating a risk of adverse mental health consequences.

Aim:

To understand the existing research base on correlates of belief in astrology and fortune-telling. Method: We have carried out a scoping review to synthesize the available literature base on belief in astrology and to review the evidence for “fortune-telling addiction” using Arksey and O’Malley’s methodological framework. Databases of PubMed, ProQuest, EBSCO, and SCOPUS were searched for relevant studies published in peer-reviewed journals.

Results:

The search findings revealed the association of belief in astrology with cognitive, personality, and psychological factors such as thinking style, self-concept verification, and stress. Case studies on “fortune-telling addiction” have conceptualized it as a possible behavioral addiction and have reported symptoms such as distress, cravings, and salience.

Conclusions:

However, further research on the condition along with its psychosocial determinants is necessary for the development of preventative and curative intervention efforts.

Keywords

Astrology fortune-telling addiction paranormal beliefs cognitive correlates

The practice of astrology attempts to forecast the future by observing the influence of celestial objects such as planets, stars, and the moon on the destinies of individuals and groups (Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.). Google Trends reported that searches for “birth chart” and “astrology” hit a 5-year high in 2020 indicating that this belief and interest in astrology is on the rise (George-Parkin, 2021). In India for example, as many as 18 start-ups have launched astrology apps and many of these apps have seen growth at the rate of 40–400%. A total of Rs 130 crore was earned by 10 firms working in this field since 2020 (Malviya, 2021).

Astrologers attributed this spike in part to the pandemic, which has caused a big segment of the population to be frightened and apprehensive about the future (Lopez, 2021). The covid-19 pandemic has brought a lot of uncertainty into people’s minds and lives as it has become very difficult to predict or plan for the future. The human mind does not do very well in uncertain situations and experiences stress (de Berker et al., 2016) Belief or interest in astrology, in moderation, may not usually have major negative consequences and can provide some reassurance and stress-relief at difficult times like the Covid-19 pandemic. However, it is becoming a mental health concern because some people are becoming excessively preoccupied with astrology, leading to negative consequences such as the compulsion to seek consultations, increasing distress, excessive spending, and continuation of these activities despite such dysfunctions (Grall-Bronnec et al., 2015; Skryabin, 2020).

Though there has been considerable research conducted to understand the reasons for people’s belief in astrology, there has been little effort to synthesize this information. In recent years as interest in astrology has grown and dysfunctional pattern of astrology use, that is, “fortune-telling addiction” has been noticed, a need has emerged to study beliefs and behaviors related to astrology from a mental health perspective. The aim of this scoping review is to understand the existing research base on correlates of belief in astrology and fortune-telling. This review will map out the current knowledge and identify areas where further research is required.

Method

We conducted the literature review in the following five stages as per the framework proposed by Arksey and O’Malley (2005): (1) identifying the research question; (2) identifying relevant studies; (3) study selection; (4) charting the data; and (5) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results.

Identifying the research question

The following research question was arrived at after preliminary reading and discussions among the authors: “What is known in existing research about the phenomena of belief in astrology and “fortune-telling addiction’?”. This question was used as a guide for the literature search and as a framework to organize the results.

Identifying relevant studies

The search engines that were employed for selecting studies include PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest, and SCOPUS. Based on keywords like “belief in astrology,” “astrology addiction,” and “fortune telling addiction,” a generalized search was employed. Articles with primary data published in peer-reviewed journals and in the English language were considered. No other restrictions were applied to the search. Grey literature such as newspaper and blog articles were also looked through to add contemporary and relevant points of view to the discussion.

Study selection

Studies were selected if they offered findings on belief in astrology and, or, fortune-telling addiction. Results from the searches in each database were thoroughly screened through the reading of titles and abstracts to identify relevant studies. In case a study’s relevance could not be determined through the abstract, the full text was read for making a decision. The process of selecting studies is shown in a PRISMA flowchart (Figure 1). Finally, 17 empirical studies were selected and reviewed.

Figure 1.

Flowchart of study selection according to PRISMA guidelines.

Charting the data

The selected articles were read in detail and necessary data was extracted and tabulated (Table 1). Data that was extracted included the author names, year of publication, domains assessed, information about sample, and method as well as key findings. A narrative account of the review was then written and structured as per the research question.

Table 1.

Details of Empirical Studies Included in the Review.

Reference	Study design	Sample	Measures used	Key findings
Sosis et al. (1980)	Correlational	N = 133 (45 male and 88 female college students)	Rotter and Levenson Internal/External Locus of Control scales, the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability scale, and a questionnaire assessing belief and knowledge about astrology.	External beliefs about fate or chance were found to be positively related to belief and engaging in astrological activities.
Tyson (1982)	Quasi experimental	N = 67 (clients of astrologers)	The Social Readjustment Rating Scale, Rotter’s Internal–External Locus of Control Scale, and the Manifest Anxiety Scale (short form).	- Consultees were: mostly females, aged between 30 and 39, martially marginal, and relatively well educated. - Stress explained the most variance between the experiment and control group.
Startup (1983)	Cross sectional	N = 66	Eysenck Personality Questionnaire and 16 PF.	No significant indication of maladjustment or neuroticism was found in astrology believers.
Lillqvist and Lindeman (1998)	Quasi experimental	N = 40 (enrolled in astrology, psychology, and German courses)	Participants rated 20 self-descriptive statements and 3 self related assumptions on the basis of their certainty. They also provided information on the nature and frequency of negative life events.	- Positive correlation was found between the number of personal crises and interest in astrology. - The certainty ratings of self-describing attributes and assumptions (self-control and perceived luck) increased among students who participated in the astrology course (but not among students of other courses).
Hamilton (2001)	Experimental	N = 103 Age range: 17–62	Descriptions of one odd-numbered and one even-numbered Sun signs were rated by participants for their favorableness. Questions about belief and knowledge of astrology were also administered.	- Personality descriptions of odd-numbered astrological Sun signs were judged as more favorable. - Those born with an odd-numbered Sun sign believed more in astrology.
Wunder (2003)	Cross sectional	N = 1,700	Questionnaire with items on date and time of birth, gender, belief in astrology, experience and knowledge of astrology.	Belief in astrology did not differ significantly with respect to sun signs.
Lindeman and Aarnio (2006)	Quasi experimental	N = 3,261 (85% full time students)	Scales of: Paranormal Beliefs, Magical Beliefs about Food and Health, Rationality and Intuitive thinking, Humanism, Neuroticism, Desirability of Control, Mood Monitoring and Behavioral Inhibition/Activation.	- The results showed that magico-religious beliefs were positively predicted by: intuition, emotional instability, and negative life events. - They were negatively predicted by analytical thinking and behavioral inhibition.
Rogers et al. (2009)	Quasi experimental	Grouped into paranormal believers and non-believers	Participants completed probability or frequency estimation tasks for both paranormal and non-paranormal events.	Believers made more conjunction errors than non-believers in both paranormal and non-paranormal event tasks.
Allum (2011)	Secondary data analysis	Citizens of 25 EU member states. Approximately 1,000 respondents in each country.	The study uses the data from Special Eurobarometer 224 and 225 surveys: Europeans, Science and Technology, “Social Values, Science and Technology” ( in 2004).	Those who hold to authoritarian values are more likely to believe in astrological claims and perceive it as scientific.
Dagnall et al. (2014)	Quasi-experimental	N = 305 (83% university students)	Scales of: Paranormal beliefs, Reality testing and probabilistic reasoning tasks ( Perception of randomness, Base rate, Conjunction fallacy, Paranormal conjunction fallacy).	Paranormal believers in comparison to non-believers perform less well on tasks of perception of randomness.
Mogi (2014)	Cross sectional	N = 2,076 (978 males and 1,087 females)	Self-report questionnaires	Significant positive correlation between belief in free will and paranormal beliefs (including belief in astrology).
Ndlovu (2016)	Cross sectional	N = 270	Data collected using “The Sky in our Lives” survey.	The greater the educational attainment, the less was the belief in astrology.
FioRito et al. (2021)	Correlational	N = 330 (Undergraduate Introductory Psychology students.)	1. Revised Paranormal Belief Scale 2. Duke University Religion Index 3. Need for Meaning scale 4. Empathic Concern subscale of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index 5. A subset of the Rational-Experiential Inventory 6. A subscale of the Meaning in Life Questionnaire.	The need for meaning is a predictor of religiosity and paranormal beliefs.
Betsch et al. (2020)	Cross sectional	N = 599, 60% female and Age range: 18–81 years.	Online questionnaires including personality measure (HEXACO) and cognitive ability (IQ).	- Openness to experiences, emotionality, and ontological confusion are positively correlated with paranormal beliefs. - Cognitive ability, conscientiousness, and causality understanding are negatively correlated with it.
Narmashiri et al. (2021)	Quasi experimental	N = 92	Go/No-Go Task.	Severe and mild paranormal believers were less accurate and slower in their reaction times as compared to skeptics.
Lopez et al. (2021)	Correlational	N = 406 University students Age range: 18–23	Online survey with items on: Demographic information, Stress Level, Conscious Behavioral Response toward Astrology on Social Media and Level of Susceptibility to Barnum Effect.	- Significant association between stress level and susceptibility to Barnum effect is present. - Activities involved in the consumption of Astrology through social media have a significant positive moderate association with level of susceptibility to the Barnum effect.
Andersson et al. (2022)	Correlational	N = 264	Online survey with 4 instruments: Belief in Astrology (BAI), the Big Five personality traits (IPIP-30), narcissism (SD3) and intelligence (ICAR16-R3D).	Openness and Agreeableness, as well as Narcissism, showed small positive correlations with Belief in Astrology. - Intelligence showed a negative relationship. - Narcissism was the strongest predictor for Belief in Astrology.

Results

One hundred and one studies were obtained as results from the search of the databases. Out of these 12 studies were identified as duplicates and excluded. The remaining 99 studies were screened by reading the titles and abstracts. Seventy-eight studies were found to be out of the scope of this review and were excluded after a review of the full-text of the remaining 21 studies, 17 empirical studies were found to meet the inclusion criteria and were included in this scoping review. Two clinical case reports were also reviewed due to their relevance to the topic. The findings are discussed under the following subheadings: cognitive correlates, personality correlates, and association with stress and “addiction.”

Cognitive correlates of belief in astrology

Belief in astrology is classified as a paranormal belief, along with other superstitious and magical beliefs such as telepathy and feng shui (Lindeman, 2017). Research on paranormal beliefs has found associations with specific deficits in probabilistic reasoning. For instance, paranormal believers have been found to have a poorer understanding of randomness in comparison to non-believers (Dagnall et al., 2014). Paranormal beliefs are also negatively correlated with an understanding of causal relationships (Betsch et al., 2020). Another example is the heightened vulnerability of paranormal believers to making conjunction errors, wherein they assume that events that happen together are more likely than ones that happen separately (Rogers et al., 2009).

Thinking styles are also associated with paranormal beliefs. In one study, the authors found paranormal beliefs to be positively predicted by intuitive thinking and negatively predicted by analytical thinking (Lindeman & Aarnio, 2006). Furthermore, paranormal beliefs are linked to deficits in cognitive control, which is an important executive function and deals with controlling inappropriate responses (Narmashiri et al., 2021).

Because astrology is based on the concept that external factors such as the stars and moon have a role in people’s lives, it makes intuitive sense that a study has found that believing in astrology and engaging in astrological activities is associated with thinking of fate as being governed by forces beyond one’s control (Sosis et al., 1980). Interestingly, however, another study has also found a significant positive correlation between belief in the concept of free will and belief in paranormal beliefs including astrology (Mogi, 2014).

Cognitive ability has been found to be negatively correlated with paranormal beliefs (Betsch et al., 2020). This finding was also corroborated through a correlational study by Andersson et al. (2022) where it was seen that people with higher IQ levels are less inclined to believe in astrology. In addition, Ndlovu (2016) discovered that the higher an individual’s educational qualifications, the less likely it is that they would believe in astrology and would be more likely to have a positive attitude toward science and astronomy.

Personality correlates of belief in astrology

Along with future forecasts, astrology provides information about personal qualities and a framework for categorizing oneself. For example, in the Indian astrological tradition, one can categorize themselves according to their “Rashi,” or star sign, and learn about the characteristics of that Rashi.

Some studies have shown that exposure to astrology can lead to self-concept confirmation or substantiation, as well as an increase in perceived self-control (Lillqvist & Lindeman, 1998). Perhaps this is one of the reasons why narcissism is the personality attribute most strongly connected to astrological belief (Andersson et al., 2022) as it aids in confirming one’s excessively self-centered and positive view of oneself. Furthermore, the favorableness of personality descriptions may play a role in belief in astrology. Hamilton (2001) found that individuals with more positive personality descriptions as per their sun signs were more likely to believe in astrology. However, Wunder (2003) presents evidence that contradicts this relationship, indicating that more research on this is required for comprehensiveness and clarity.

A study that aimed to discover whether there is a relationship between maladjustment and belief in astrology found no significant differences in indicators such as neuroticism level between believers and non-believers (Startup, 1983). However, research on Big 5 Personality traits has found that emotional instability is a predictor of paranormal beliefs (Lindeman & Aarnio, 2006). In addition, the traits of openness and agreeableness are positively associated with belief in astrology (Andersson et al., 2022). A study using the HEXACO model of personality found similar findings with a positive correlation seen between paranormal beliefs and openness to experiences and emotionality and a negative correlation with conscientiousness (Betsch et al., 2020).

Furthermore, a study found that individuals who adhere to authoritarian values believe that obedience is an important quality and believe in God or a spirit, are more likely to think of astrology as being scientific (Allum, 2011).

Astrology and stress

In a study that mapped the profile of people who consult astrology, it was found that people who are stressed usually engage in it (Tyson, 1982). Experiencing high-stress levels makes people more vulnerable to the Barnum effect (the belief that statements or predictions are accurate and customized specifically for one, while they are actually extremely vague and may be applied to a huge segment of the population). This may be associated with the desire for meaning-making during times of stress as the need for meaning has been found to be a predictor of paranormal and religious beliefs (FioRito et al., 2021). And increased susceptibility to the Barnum effect is linked to increased consumption of astrology-related content (Lopez et al., 2021).

According to one study, one’s interest in astrology is proportional to the number of personal crises one confronts (Lillqvist & Lindeman, 1998). It is proposed by some mental health professionals that in the face of a crisis, people may resort to spiritual bypassing (Kassel, 2019), which entails using spiritual notions and rituals to deal with emotional issues and trauma rather than seeking treatment from professionals such as psychotherapists and clinical psychologists. It is also suggested that spiritual bypassing, in contrast to working through issues and understanding the emotions that underpin them, often takes the form of avoidance and can act as a barrier to individuation, or the ability to form one’s own values and opinions rather than simply adopting those that are socially prescribed (Sheridan, 2017).

Astrology and “addiction”

Empirical research were not discovered but a few case studies (Grall-Bronnec et al., 2015; Skryabin, 2020) on increased astrology use have been published, and this issue has been labeled as “fortune telling addiction,” a type of behavioral addiction. Until now, classification systems like the DSM-V have only provided diagnostic criteria for substance abuse and gambling addiction, not for other types of behavior addiction. However, Griffiths’ model (Griffiths, 2005) identifies a number of common components of addiction, and according to the case report, “fortune-telling addiction” satisfies all of them (Skryabin, 2020). Individuals demonstrate salience and mood modification, in which astrology becomes the most important activity in their schedule, and they feel relieved afterward. They develop an increased urge to contact fortune-tellers over time, demonstrating tolerance, and they continue to spend their money and time on it. If there is a gap between consultation or if the person tries to quit or stop they may experience discomfort similar to withdrawal symptoms and will be more likely to relapse and resume their former habit of consultation.

Discussion

Existing research literature on belief in astrology and “fortune-telling addiction” has been synthesized in this scoping review. Drawing from various research studies conducted over a large span of time, an evidence-based understanding of the phenomenon has been mapped out in the findings of the review. Belief in astrology has been found to have associations with various cognitive, personality, and psychological factors. “fortune-telling addiction” is a recent marker of excessive astrology-related behaviors. As most of the studies were correlational in their design, it is difficult to prove the etiology of the phenomenon.

The findings from the studies that have looked into cognitive factors have found that belief in astrology is associated with an intuitive thinking style and lower cognitive alertness. One influential factor may be astrology’s association with cultural and religious practices that have possibly made astrological beliefs and behavior a type of heuristic or a mental shortcut with which many try to solve their problems.

For instance, Vedic astrology believers view astrology, or “Jyotish” to be a gift of God that is communicated through sages. Jyotish is practiced across religions and sociodemographic groups in many parts of South East Asia and is an important part of cultural experiences such as marriages, naming children, and offering prayers. Despite it being termed as pseudoscience by many scientists (Thagard, 1978), the subject is even taught as an academic degree in a number of educational institutes in India (The News Minute, 2021). Hence, astrology in the East holds an important place in the cultural heritage and current practices and is perceived as a legitimate source of knowledge. The practice of consulting astrologers in times of stress or uncertainty and for help in making personal decisions has been passed down from one generation to the next. Within such a context, it may be difficult to think about astrology with an analytical style and increased use of astrology may not be easily detected as a problem and can delay the necessary intervention.

In the West, the continuation of religious or ritualistic practices termed as ‘New Age religiosity is suggested by Larsen and Thomsen (2019) to be partly because of an optimism bias. Due to the underlying expectation that everything in the future will be mostly good, believers experience the urge to hear about future events and then look forward to the same. Astrology also provides an opportunity for individuals to create a positive narrative of the future through consultations with astrologers and engaging in acts following their advice in the hope that the problems of the present will be solved. By thinking positively and focusing energy on spiritual or astrology-related tasks, the implicit belief is that the reality will turn out positive as well.

Another issue to also consider is the language we use to describe the problem of increased interest and excessive use of astrology. With a pathologizing lens, it becomes very easy to label many problematic behaviors of everyday life as behavioral addictions. However, this over-pathologization may not be ultimately helpful as it implies that the problem lies within a few people. Since behavioral addictions such as fortune-telling addiction are deeply embedded in the cultural and social environment of the individual; a purely medicalized model of addiction may not be the ideal way to conceptualize them. van der Linden (2015) advocates embracing a psychosocial model that takes the social determinants into account. For example, modern society’s emphasis on consumption and advertising creates an environment where individuals are encouraged to act quickly and impulsively to maximize their pleasure. Ironically, the same society disapproves of loss of self-control when it comes to matters of addiction. Furthermore, in terms of consequences, focusing only on the individual factors such as distress and loss of functioning provide only part of the picture. Belief in astrology for example has been found to be a predictor of prejudiced feelings toward stigmatized groups (Dambrun, 2004) and this can have large-scale societal implications with respect to discrimination and oppression. Hence, understanding of and management of problems associated with belief and use of astrology is incomplete without acknowledgment of the wider social factors playing a role.

Implications and recommendations

On the basis of case studies, it can be hypothesized that individuals who struggle with increased astrology use will develop a dependence on the fortune teller and find it difficult to utilize critical thinking skills in problem-solving. They may rely excessively on astrologers or horoscopes for making significant decisions possibly leading to increased anxiety about coping with unexpected situations on their own. Substantial financial losses may be incurred by the service users due to repeatedly paying charges for consultations. Because these individuals tend not to seek psychological help, the emotional difficulties underlying the increased astrology use may worsen. Distressed people may go undiagnosed and be untreated due to their persistent preoccupation with finding a solution through astrology.

Using the existing research base of correlates of belief in astrology as the starting point, research on the psychological, cognitive, and social factors that cause vulnerability to increased astrology use is needed. Future research is also needed to determine the extent of harm that can be caused by increased astrology use and fortune-telling services on the individual as well as the society at large. Long-term effects on cognition and personality variables need to be studied as well. Further research is needed to better understand the prevalence of co-morbid diseases in these situations, the relationship with other psychiatric disorders and addictions. Finally, research is crucially required to focus on the psychosocial determinants and outcomes of “fortune-telling addiction.”

Conclusion

Since such cases and studies are still uncommon, more research is needed to determine whether this pattern of behavior is severe and pervasive enough to be classed as a mental health condition. It is nevertheless necessary to understand the social, cognitive, and psychological pathways that might lead from a belief in astrology to an unhealthy preoccupation with astrology so that appropriate preventative and therapeutic strategies can be developed.

Footnotes

Acknowledgements

None.

Disclosure of potential conflict of interest

Not applicable.

Declaration of conflicting interests

Authors of the paper did not have any conflict of interest.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Compliance with ethical standard

There was no conflict of interest in relation to present work. Informed consent of the human subjects had been taken prior to inclusion in the study.

Statement of Human right

The studies have been approved by the Institutional and/or national research ethics committee .

Research involving human participants and/or animals

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

ORCID iD

Manoj Kumar Sharma

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