In a finding astrologers should have seen coming, researchers have turned up no evidence to support a link between personality, intelligence and birth dates.
The study of more than 15,000 people found "in no cases did date of birth relate to individual differences in personality or intelligence".
The authors, from universities in Germany and Denmark, wanted to further examine a link between date of birth and popular signs in astrology, but found "no support".
In the May issue of "Personality and Individual Differences", the authors write: "We conclude that the present large-scale study provides no evidence for the existence of relevant relationships between date of birth and individual differences in personality and general intelligence.
"The present large-scale study certainly found no independent effects of sun signs, elements, or gender, and thus yields no support for the common claims of astrology."
British television astrologer Russell Grant said the survey needed to distinguish between "pop" astrology and "proper" astrology.
"We all know that the sun signs are used in newspapers and magazines as a form of entertainment
because we cannot sum up all people in terms of 12 signs," he said. "But proper astrology is based on where all the planets are at the exact time of someone’s birth, and that has been used for thousands of years."
"We all know that the sun signs are used in newspapers and magazines as a form of entertainment
because we cannot sum up all people in terms of 12 signs," he said. "But proper astrology is based on where all the planets are at the exact time of someone’s birth, and that has been used for thousands of years."
