An amusing matter that came up in a discussion today: the
Barnum Effect, named after P.T. Barnum. I have long suspected that astrology is meant to work this way, except it doesn't work on me because I'm so unlike what 'my sign' is supposed to be that horoscopes are almost a negative indicator.
Toward the bottom is a link to common criticisms of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator tests. Confer, if you like.
For some reason, I can hear Dr. Peter Venkman saying, “Back off man, I’m a scientist.”
ReplyDeleteIt is widely known, but somehow people keeping find reasons to believe "this time it's true!" Enneagrams are the latest example, though to give them credit, at least it's not the usual division into four groups, and then 4x3 or 4x4 groups but a collection of 9. Or is it 11? I forget, and it doesn't matter. https://assistantvillageidiot.blogspot.com/2018/11/quora-questions.html
ReplyDeleteThe MBTI does have one scale that is at least stable, the introvert-extrovert division. It is otherwise almost worthless. However bsking has pointed out to me that belief in any one of these systems can at least get you to look at things outside your own head and recognise that other people are different and think differently, which in and of itself can get conflicts and groups off of sticking points and on the way to solutions, even if the underlying ideas are crap. That seems very sensible to me.
I've never looked at your horoscope, Grim, but if you want the accurate Indian Vedic version, look up indastro dot com.
ReplyDeleteA person is not a "sign". Ascendant>Moon>Sun That's only 3 things out of a chart that is rather complicated. And there are multiple charts.