People who are into astrology are more likely to be narcissistic, study finds
Love reading your horoscope? New research says you may have an ‘egocentric view of the world’
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Whether you know your sun sign from your moon sign, you go into hiding when Mercury is in retrograde or if reading your horoscope is one of your favourite pastimes, new research has found that you could have a narcissistic personality trait.
The finding is from a recent study published in the March 2022 issue of the journal, Personality and Individual Differences.
The study was conducted by psychologists from Lund University in Sweden, and found that those who believed in astrology were more likely to be narcissistic and have lower IQ levels.
Most (87 per cent) of the study’s 264 participants were female, aged between 25 and 34, and the researchers assessed their intelligence levels, astrology beliefs and personalities to make their findings.
The participants were asked to complete The Belief in Astrology Inventory where they rated various statements on a scale of one to five based on how true they thought they were. These statements ranged from “The way I relate to other people depends on my zodiac sign” and “Horoscopes predict a person’s future”.
The researchers also asked the participants to complete a short version of the Dark Triad Personality test which can help assess traits of psychopathy, Machiavellianism and narcissism.
Following these test results, the study authors found there was a link between belief in astrology and narcissistic tendencies which the authors speculated to be due to the “self-centred worldview uniting them”.
The authors added: “Cultural aspects of millennials may emphasise the uniqueness of individuals, which might lead to a more egocentric view of the world, and thus relate to narcissistic traits.”
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, narcissism means you have “too much interest in and admiration for your own physical appearance and/or your own abilities”.
In extreme forms, narcissism can also be a personality disorder, with Mental Health UK defining narcissistic personality disorder as having “a high sense of self-importance”.
Following astrology, reading your horoscope or believing in the zodiac doesn’t automatically make you a narcissist, however.
According to analysis done by Psychology Today, the study had a “number of limitations” such as lack of random sampling, the use of shortened versions of scales and participants not being varied enough.
“Therefore, future research needs to replicate the present findings. Until then, we should refrain from drawing strong conclusions about belief in astrology and its association with higher narcissism and lower intelligence,” it concluded.
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