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Has your child ever made a decision based on their horoscope? Or have they insisted on visiting the local mystic shop for healing crystals? Many are discovering solace in astrology and tarot reading during these stressful times. With the ongoing pandemic, many of us have reached out for new coping mechanisms. Some find solace in exercising or cooking, while others find comfort in daily affirmations. Horoscopes and tarot reading have become a means of reassurance during this time of ambiguity and isolation, as we wish for answers about our future in this vast universe. Today’s GKIS article discusses popular perspectives about online mystic spirituality and sensible tips to ensure a safe online experience.

What is astrology?

Astrology is the study of celestial movements and their influence over life on Earth.[1] Astrology is generally recognized by academia as a pseudoscience (collective of ideas and beliefs that, despite popular belief, are not supported by the scientific method). However, many find true meaning in its practice as an aid to spiritual journey.

Astrology and other New Age practices are extremely popular in the U.S. According to the Pew Research Center, a 2017 survey conducted between April and June found that 27% of U.S. adults identify as “spiritual but not religious.”[2] Another study found that six in ten American adults have adopted at least one New Age practice that pertains to spirituality, such as tarot reading, astrology, and meditation.[3]

Even if we aren’t “true believers,” most of us enjoy looking at our horoscopes out of curiosity now and then. For example, I am a Gemini with a rising sign of Cancer and a moon sign of Sagittarius. When I checked my horoscope today, it touched on the importance of slowing down and straying from tunnel vision.[4] Today’s horoscope aligned with my current situation, as I am nearing the end of my undergraduate education. The grind mentality is real. Although working hard has its merits, balance is key to sustainability. I found this comforting reminder inspirational, as it offered personal meaning that had value to me.

The Upsell

Of course, rarely are online services free. Typically, personal online consults offer a tempting free opt-in to get your email address. From there you are pitched for a paid product. This type of free opt-in to paid products is called an upsell and very common among online marketers. Many of us find it useful to be alerted to what’s out there so we can make an informed purchasing decision.

Unfortunately, not all online marketing is transparent. If you aren’t pitched for a product, like a report about your rising and moon signs, the information you provide to get the report has value to online marketers. They sell it to advertisers who can retarget you for similar products, like that adorable zodiac necklace that keeps showing up in your feed.

In the picture to the right, we can see an example of an astrology site that asks for my name, birthday, time of birth, and the city I was born in. Similar to online personality quizzes, websites that ask for fill-in information should be recognized as a red flag. At face value, personality quizzes can be fun; however, personal information can be sold on the dark web for use by cybercriminals as identifying, security answer, and password information for identity theft.

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Astrology May Negatively or Positively Impact Perception, Cognitive Performance, and Creativity  

The question remains, is it a good idea for vulnerable kids and teens to consume online astrology products if they’re being careful about not sharing their personal data? Stanford researchers conducted three separate experiments to investigate the influence of positive/negative horoscopes on the interpretation of ambiguous events, cognitive performance, and creativity.[5]

In the first study, the subjects were given a positive or negative horoscope and then asked to interpret five pictures depicting an ambiguous situation. Results confirmed the hypothesis that the group exposed to a positive horoscope were more likely to interpret a positive situation among the pictures and the group exposed to a negative horoscope were more likely to interpret a negative situation.

In experiment two, subjects were asked to summarize a short text narrative after they were exposed to a positive or negative horoscope. Participants were then asked to complete three different mathematical, verbal, and non-verbal tests related to fluid intelligence (e.g., logical problem solving). Those who read a positive horoscope had higher cognitive performance than those who read a negative horoscope.

In the final experiment, participants completed the same task as experiment two (the short text narrative) and were then exposed to a positive or negative horoscope. Creativity was then measured by the completion of two riddles. As expected, participants that were given positive horoscopes displayed greater creativity versus those who were given the negative ones.

The Psychology Behind our Love of Astrology

Locus of Control and the Self-Serving Bias

Social-Cognitive theorist Julian Rotter defined the concept of locus of control as a person’s perception of what happens to them.[6] There are two forms of locus of control— internal and external. Internal locus of control is the perception that we are responsible for what has happened to us. External locus of control is attributed to a source outside of ourselves that is beyond our control. Depending on the reader’s locus of control, interpretation of your horoscope can either work for you or work against you.

For example, if you have an external locus of control you may use your horoscopes to assign blame. This may relieve you from taking accountability and support a self-serving bias. The phrase “Mercury is in retrograde” is a prime example of the self-serving bias at work. Rather than taking responsibility for our actions, it has become a joke to blame the planet for moving abnormally (leading to a domino effect of disruptions in the universe).

The self-serving bias involves taking credit for the good things that happen to us and shifting the blame away from us when things take a turn for the worse. Protecting ourselves from anxiety is an important part of our day to day interactions, which is why we tend to attribute the better parts to ourselves and misfortunes to external forces.

The Confirmation Bias and Self-Fulfilling Prophecy

The confirmation bias is a digital injury that plagues online experiences. This bias involves looking for information that confirms your beliefs and disregarding the rest. In the case of horoscopes, the confirmation bias might serve as a security blanket to your child. At the same time, if the horoscope is off or predictions do not meet expectations, it may set your child up for disappointment.

In a more severe scenario, children may fall victim to the self-fulfilling prophecy. The self-fulfilling prophecy is the notion that our behavior is elicited according to expectations.[7] If we do not meet these expectations, an inferiority complex may rise, ultimately leading to chronic anxiety and depression.

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Here at GetKidsInternetSafe, we strive to help families recognize the red flags of the internet. As technology continues to flourish, so does online marketing. To help children recognize the red flags of advertising, GKIS offers a How to Spot Marketing Supplement. Priced at only $7, we do not offer this supplement to get rich – but rather to cover our website costs. This supplement shows you how marketers profit off of the latest trends and how to teach your children to recognize when their interests are corrupted by a paywall. Kids and teens are a highly profitable audience in the online community, but with the help of our marketing supplement, they will be savvy consumers able to recognize sneaky marketing tactics.

If you enjoyed this article, stay tuned for part two, which will shed light on another New Age practice—tarot reading!

Thanks to CSUCI intern Kaylen Sanchez for researching online astrology and tarot reading for this two-part GKIS series.

I’m the mom psychologist who will help you GetKidsInternetSafe.

Onward to More Awesome Parenting,

Tracy S. Bennett, Ph.D.
Mom, Clinical Psychologist, CSUCI Adjunct Faculty
GetKidsInternetSafe.com

Photo Credits

Photo by Pexels

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels

Photo by Kaylen Sanchez

Photo by Alexander Mils from Pexels

Work Cited

[1] Gunzburg, D., Brady, B., & Curry, P. (2019). Special Issue Introduction: Inside the World of Contemporary Astrology. Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature & Culture, 13(1), 5–11. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1558/jsrnc.38055

[2] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/09/06/more-americans-now-say-theyre-spiritual-but-not-religious/

[3] https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/10/01/new-age-beliefs-common-among-both-religious-and-nonreligious-americans/

[4] https://www.horoscope.com/us/horoscopes/general/horoscope-general-daily-today.aspx?sign=3

[5] Clobert, M., Van Cappellen, P., Bourdon, M., & Cohen, A. B. (2016). Good day for Leos: Horoscope’s influence on perception, cognitive performances, and creativity. Personality and Individual Differences, 101, 348–355. https://doi-org.summit.csuci.edu/10.1016/j.paid.2016.06.032

[6] Griggs, R. A. (2014). Psychology: A concise introduction. Worth Publishers

[7] Griggs, R. A. (2014). Psychology: A concise introduction. Worth Publishers