Why do people believe in horoscopes?

In the wake of “panic in women's magazines,” I decided to insert my 5 kopecks, and consider this issue.

I will not consider the question of how the signs of the zodiac are determined, the author of this article did an excellent job. Just tell you about the processes occurring in our head that help us believe in horoscopes and other rubbish.

Let's start with how people become “horoscope lovers”:
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1. Someone taught.

2. Came independently.

Someone taught
The first point is clear, this is the main way people start to believe in God, horoscopes, urinotherapy, etc ... Relatives, friends are an authority for a person, and he doesn’t bother to turn on his head to check the facts and simply believes. Best of all, such a “treatment” can be given to children under 7 years old and the elderly.



Children under 7 years old - they are in a subperiod of pre-operational views on J. Piaget.
At the stage of pre-operational ideas, a transition is made from sensor-motor functions to internal - symbolic, that is, to actions with representations, and not with external objects. This stage of development of the intellect is characterized by the dominance of presuppositions and transductive reasoning; egocentrism; focusing on the conspicuous features of the object and disregard for the reasoning of its other signs; focusing on the states of things and inattention to its transformations.

If it is simple in this period, children almost completely lack critical, logical thinking, and parents are indisputable authority for them. As an example: I tried to taste my urine in my childhood, because my grandmother told me that it was medicine, and faithfully believed that it was so.

And for the elderly, cognitive functions are declining, and it can be said that they themselves become children, so they begin to believe in it.

Now consider how people come to this on their own:

1. Curiosity



We can find horoscopes in any magazine or newspaper. And even if a person is not familiar with such a phenomenon as astrology, then naturally there is a desire to know what it is and how it works. Curiosity pushes you to get acquainted with your zodiac sign and learn something mystical about yourself. Not just finding out what people are saying, but finding out what the stars are saying! Rarely who will resist this. All secret and incomprehensible, not at all terrible, but interesting, beckons us irresistible. From this ordinary curiosity, which is based on the function of self-knowledge, the path to horoscopes begins.

2. Vagueness of wording



There is such a thing as the Forer effect . The psychologist Bertram Forer in 1948 conducted a psychological experiment in which he showed the effect of this effect. He gave his students a special test to analyze their personalities. However, instead of the present individual characteristic, he gave everyone the same vague text taken from the horoscope. Then he asked each student on a five-point scale to assess the correspondence of their personality description to reality — the average rating was 4.26. The assessment of the accuracy of the description of the students was also influenced by the authority of the teacher. Also, if we still see no matching in the horoscope, then we try not to pay attention to them, like pimples or roughness on the face, when we look in the mirror.

3. Roles



Each of us plays a huge number of roles. For example, when a soldier is made into sergeants, he becomes a sergeant. He is aware of himself as such and begins to play the role of a sergeant, with all the ensuing complex actions. When you enter the transport, you become a passenger. When you are in a store, you are a buyer with all the conventions and actions associated with it. Therefore, when you are given a zodiac sign, you start playing the role of Virgo or Taurus, or Scorpio. And all these descriptions of your zodiac sign that you have been given, they are not just like you, they really become you, again with all the consequences.

4. Flattering



If you look in any horoscope, then you will not see a single bad word about a particular sign of the zodiac. And even if they are, they are as relaxed as possible. But basically you will be told about how good and cool you are, but for us it’s like a bone for a dog. The promotion system is launched, hormones enter the blood, and so on ... I will give you, as an example, the description that Forer gave his students:

“You really need other people to love and admire you. You are pretty self-critical. You have many hidden features that you never used to your advantage. Although you have some personal weaknesses, you are generally able to level them. Disciplined and confident in appearance, you are in fact inclined to worry and feel insecure. At times, serious doubts cover you, whether you made the right decision or did the right thing. You prefer some variety, frame and restrictions make you dissatisfied. Also, you are proud to think independently; you do not take other people's statements on faith without sufficient evidence. You realized that being too frank with other people is not too wise. Sometimes you are extrovert, friendly and sociable, sometimes - introverted, cautious and restrained. Some of your aspirations are pretty unrealistic. One of your main life goals is stability. ”

5. BUT IT WORKS !!! I HAVE EVERYTHING TURNS !!!



In the end, my favorite. Again, this is the answer. The effect of Rosenthal , it is the effect of self-fulfilling prophecies. The essence is that - if you read the horoscope in which you predicted luck today, then you will only notice the best moments of the day, and you will not pay attention to the unsuccessful ones. According to the same principle, prayers work, the treatment is unclear than.

Like, all told. If I forgot about something, write in the comments, be sure to add. And I ask you not to judge very strictly - this is the first attempt at writing.

Thanks for reading.
May common sense be with you!