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"What's your sun sign?" is a common first date question, the answer to which could dictate how the date, and possibly even the rest of the romantic connection goes. As soon as you open up about your birth date and zodiac sign, your date might start telling you about how you two are potentially compatible (or not).
Not everyone contemplates the cosmos, but star sign beliefs may lead us to choose our romantic partner or judge our existing partner's motives and intentions, based on what their horoscope says.
Horoscopes are specific interpretations used within the broader scope of astrology. A 2020 study published in Genus defines astrology as the idea that "the positioning of celestial objects at a time that is of significance to the individual influences fundamental aspects of their personality, motivations, wants, and needs." There are 12 zodiac signs, each with its distinct characteristic traits, that are said to shape individuals' behaviors and preferences.
If you recall episode three in season three of "The White Lotus," Rick, played by Walton Goggins, is a tourist having breakfast with his girlfriend, Chelsea, played by Aimee Lou Wood, when she asks why he's trying to charm the hotel owner.
Rick refuses to open up, prompting Chelsea to say, "Scorpio. So secretive. It's not easy for me, Rick. I'm an Aries. I need everything out in the open." Rick's inability to open up may not have to do with his sun sign, but it affirms Chelsea's beliefs about him.
Here are some factors which may influence our beliefs in astrology, and in turn, our love lives:
Research published in The Journal of Psychology involved a series of studies on 366 college students to examine their horoscope reading habits, the accuracy of horoscope forecasts and personality descriptions, and how knowing one's zodiac sign affects their perception of horoscopes.
Daily and monthly forecasts were found unreliable and invalid, but astrologically based personality descriptions showed some reliability.
The study suggests that people may believe in astrology because of a mix of some consistency in personality descriptions once they know what their zodiac signs are. With this information, they may focus on things that fit their descriptions and ignore things that don't. This is known as illusory correlation, which leads them to remember hits more than misses.
For instance, if they read that they're likely to meet the love of their life this week and they happen to go on a date they end up feeling good about, they're more likely to remember this occurrence and view it as confirmation of their horoscope.
People may also believe vague, general personality descriptions, which contain statements with a high base rate of occurrence for just about everyone. This is called the "Barnum effect."
If their horoscope says, "You are caring but sometimes insecure," they may believe it, even though it can apply to anyone. Even nonbelievers might feel their sign's description is "true" because it sounds familiar, not necessarily because it's accurate.
Astrological beliefs may also influence your judgment about your partner based on zodiac archetypes. This is because once you gain familiarity with traits you've read, you start to associate those traits with yourself and others.
Your trust in compatibility between certain zodiac signs could also determine how much you want to invest in a relationship. Not everyone believes in astrology the same way, but if it takes a lot of precedence in your life, you may find it tough to get romantically involved with those who don't.
Believing in astrology can influence how people view potential partners before truly knowing them. For example, someone who has read that Scorpios are "passionate but secretive" might approach a Scorpio date with a mix of intrigue and caution. This pre-formed first impression may shape the tone of their early interactions long before they see the other person for who they truly are.
However, some star sign believers may not necessarily consider your lack of belief in star signs a dealbreaker, while others might.
"It's not a complete deal-breaker for me if the person I'm dating isn't into astrology in the same, intense way I am. It's more important to me that they're open minded, and not closed off when it comes to the infinite possibilities of an unknown universe. Maybe astrology isn't to their taste, but they're open to the idea of life on other planets, or accept how we don't know whether a spiritual realm exists or not," one believer tells Vice in a 2019 interview.
"The deal-breaker for me is if they tried to mount a scientific argument against astrology, which is just tiresome and rude. Astrology for me isn't a science, it's a pastime. It's not like I use scientific principles to explain away fantasy football leagues," another mentions.
Societal pressure and cultural expectations may also influence how much importance we give to zodiac sign beliefs. In some cultures, for example, those influenced by the Chinese zodiac, sign compatibility is taken seriously in matchmaking and marriage decisions. Families may encourage or discourage unions based on perceived astrological harmony, even if it lacks scientific backing.
The 2020 Genus study tested whether star signs could predict marriage and divorce rates in Sweden. It looked at about 66,000 marriages in Sweden between 1968-2001 and classified each couple's sun-sign pairing into "good," "less good" or similar categories from six online astrology sources.
Researchers used exact birth dates, marriage and divorce records. They found that the number of "good" pairings was about the same or even lower than random expectation. In fact, the "less favorable" matches were sometimes slightly overrepresented.
Researchers did not find any evidence that sun-sign compatibility predicts marriage likelihood or divorce risk. Rather, sociodemographic factors like education, having children and past divorce history may matter far more.
In conclusion, several factors, starting from the extent of our exposure to horoscopes to illusory correlation, can play a role in your astrology beliefs, but those are not necessarily the same factors that influence the strength of your relationship, as the aforementioned study shows.
Whether you choose to factor in horoscopes and star sign compatibility while dating is entirely up to you, but it's worth remembering that these shouldn't become rigid deal-breakers, especially before you truly know someone. Instead of dismissing a potential connection based solely on their zodiac sign, take the time to understand who they are and the way they make you feel.
Similarly, if you're on the opposite end of the spectrum and treat astrology with skepticism, it's important to approach it with respect. Just because someone finds meaning in it doesn't give you license to belittle or ridicule their beliefs. If you're open to dating someone who loves astrology, embrace that curiosity, without trying to "correct" them or prove them wrong. Because at the end of the day, love requires acceptance and curiosity about the other person, rather than judgment.