Psychology and Astrology (Fang Sui etc)

by Alina

Email: essentialitem@yahoo.com

Personality is a term commonly used in everyday language. But how does psychologist define personality? Personality is closely related to other human cognitive and emotional systems; it is not an independent mechanism. Psychologists defined personality as reasonably stable patterns of emotions, motives, and behavior that distinguished one person from another. Within this general definition, a number of different theoretical approaches exist.

According to psychodynamic theory of personality by Jung, Adler, etc, each of which owes its origin to thinking of Sigmund Freud (1905), these theories have a number of features in common. Each teaches that personality is characterized by conflict, a dynamic struggle (Freud, Sigmund 1905). At first, the conflict is external: Sexual drives, aggression, and the need for superiority (Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs) (Maslow, A.H. 1943) came into conflict with the laws, social rules, and moral codes. However, at some point laws and social rules are brought inward. After that, conflict is between opposing inner forces. At any given moment our behavior, thought, and emotions represent the outcome of these inner contests.

According to Freud, personality has a definable structure with three basic components Id, Ego, and Superego (The Ego and The Id 1923). The most primitive part of the personality, present in the infant is the id. Id is a Latin word that means “it”. The Id is unconscious, irrational and immoral part of the personality that exists at birth (biological), containing all the basic biological drives: hunger, thirst, self-protection, and sex. As of component of personality, the id seeks immediate satisfaction of nature urges through primary process, without concern for the morals and norms of society. Ego and Superego dealt with how the mind worked: conscientiously and unconsciously (Freud, The Interpretation of Dreams, 1899). It also described the behavior of the human body and why we do the things we do. Freud identified man’s weaknesses in saying that man is a biological creature with biological drives. He reflected these ideas from Darwin’s original ideas (Freud, Civilization).

Freudian theories (Freud, Sigmund 1905) scientifically predicted the future of an individual with the five-stage change in growth and the three components, id, ego and superego (Freud, Civilization). Hans J. Eysenck (1916-1997), the most influential psychologists giving attention to parapsychology and astrology (1975-1985). Indeed, he believed that empirical evidence supported the existence of paranormal abilities. Astrology is as much of a science as psychology. It is definitely better than the 'pseudo psychology' but psychologist named this belief pseudo psychology, a systems of explaining human behavior that are not based on the notion that the positions of the sun, the moon, and the stars affect human temperament and human affairs (Eysenck HJ 1975). For example, people borne under the sign of Jupiter are believed to be playful, good humor and jovial. One supposedly can also foretell the future by studying the positions of these bodies. With scientific evidence, astrologers maintained that the positions of the heavenly bodies at the time of our birth determined our personality and destiny totally disregard Freudians’ psychoanalytic theories and the psychosexual theory. The prepared forecasts called horoscopes that are based on our birthdates, indicate what it is safe for us to do. Astrologers claimed that your sign which reflected the month during which you were born (Eysenck & Nias 1982), indicates whom you will be compatible with doing away with the ‘MBTI’ test or the ‘Big Five’ test. Thus, a breakdown of marriages or a crash in personality has nothing to do with genes or Erik Erikson’s psychosocial theories.

Although psychologists and other scientists considered astrology to be pseudoscience, but it is being widely practiced in the Western world. The National Science Foundation (2002) found that astrology is rejected by 60% of Americans, but 43% still check their horoscopes from time to time.

In Chinese astrology, the entire birth charts are organized in order to determine which signs will hold their influence over an individual in the coming year. Here, elemental theory is employed to do the same. In the Greek zodiac, birth charts are used as well, but the continued influence of the stars does not change throughout one's life: it is determined by their arrangement at the date and time of one's birth.

If personality were determined solely by environmental factors, then it makes sense to think of personalities are only coming in a specified number and applying to more than one person. However, upon closer examination of people it is found that personalities are not the same, even for people borne on the same day (example: twins as in research) in the same circumstances, thus disproving the blanket theory that environment is the sole determinant of personality. Whereas personality psychologist engaged in research-based on science and mental processes including nervous system, sensation and perception, learning and memory, intelligence, language, thought, growth and development, stress, etc. The goal of psychologists is to seek, to describe, to explain, to predict (base on science), and to control behavior and mental processes.

Unlike astrologers who believed in the movement of the universal; palms (hands), and stars matches the birth date of the person in question.

It is a scientific fact that the gravitation during full moon causes high tides as well as influences mental patients who become more hyperactive. But Gravity is a "Cause" which cannot actually be seen, touched, tasted, smelled or heard; it is only "real" in the sense that its effects can be observed (Research, Freiburg and Naples in 1986, 1987 and 1988).

Thus, the effect of other planets on human personality cannot be questioned. What does that say about the power of astrology? Do this magnetic force change the id (genetic trait)? Does it cause the aggression gene to be triggered easily when basic needs are not met (Maslow’s Need of Hierarchy)?

Lastly, Astronomy, not astrology, is a science. The latter, like religion, is purely a matter of faith. Astrology is a pseudo psychology, not testable; nor based on observation. And because of the alleged complexity of natal horoscopes, any missed prediction can be excused, and its terms are too vague to yield definite predictions. Astrology, whatever the school or faction, can in no case claimed to be scientific!

Reference:
1. National Science Foundation (2002). Cited in Associated Press. (2002, April 30)
2. Erikson E.H. (1963). Childhood and society. New York: W.W. Norton.
3. Freud, S. (1927). A religious experience. In Standard edition of the complete psychological work of Sigmund Freud, Vol. 21. London: Hogarth Press, 1964.
4. Crowe, R.A. (1990). Astrology and the scientific method. Psychological Report, 67, 163-191.
5. Eysenck HJ (1975). Planets, stars and personality. New Behaviour, 29 May, 246-249.
6. Eysenck, Hans and Nias, David, Astrology: Science or Superstition? , London: Pelican 1982.
7. Maslow, A.H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review 50, 370-396