ABSTRACT
This chapter is concerned with evaluating the research carried out by psychologists to test out the claims made for astrology. However, it would be helpful to consider what astrologers do actually claim. Astrology is regarded by many people as just harmless fun, but people who take astrology seriously will often make major decisions about their lives on the basis of astrological advice, such as who they should marry or what profession they should take up. Astrology has been around for thousands of years, and it was practised in the ancient Egyptian, Greek, and Roman societies. The participants in their experiment all knew quite a lot about astrology, and they were all well aware of what characteristics were supposed to be associated with their own sun sign according to astrologers. The claim that astrology can predict suitability for a particular occupation is therefore a matter of great practical importance.
