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Experiment

Posted by saedigh at 11:55 AM on March 09, 2005

I am a firm believer that Astrology is for entertainment purposes only. I also think that you will read into your sign's personality traits what you want to. Any sun sign description can be tailored to any individual. So, I propose an experiment. Below, I will list 12 descriptions of personalities associated with different star signs. You, gentle reader, will tell me via e-mail or the comments section which star sign (Lettered A to L) corresponds to the best description of your personality, as well as the sign you were born under (e.g., I think I am a C, and I was born under Sagittarius). Next week, I will reveal the results to all interested parties. I may be proven wrong. Who knows. But I think it will be fun.

A: Determined, passionate, emotional
B: Adventurous, confident, witty
C: Easy-going, sociable, charming
D: Generous, creative, faithful
E: Optimistic, intellectual, superficial
F: Practical, patient, ambitious
G: Adaptable, eloquent, communicative
H: Patient, persistent, placid
I: Modest, meticulous, analytical
J: Imaginative, sensitive, unworldly
K: Emotional, shrewd, creative
L: Friendly, loyal, inventive

Let's see how we do! :)

Comments

I think I'm a K, my real sign is Cancer

Posted by: Rachelle at March 9, 2005 01:18 PM

I am a hybrid of A, B, C, D, and E, but since that isn't what you asked for, I'll say I'm an A and my real "sign" is Leo. GRRRR.

Posted by: Marsha at March 9, 2005 02:05 PM

I think I am A (even when I'm not pregnant:-)), and I was born under Sagittarius.

Posted by: heather at March 9, 2005 02:07 PM

Hmm - I also think I tend to be I)...

In reality, I'd probably say I'm determined and emotional from A) and also meticulous and analytical from I). I probably can't say with any honesty that I'm modest (although I like to think I am ;-)) and I'm probably more of a perfectionist than passionate but hey - they both start with P ;-)

However I'll stick with my first answer - A. :-)

Posted by: heather at March 9, 2005 02:17 PM

Hmm..notice how neither A nor I list "decisive" as a characteristic? ;-)

Posted by: Saedigh at March 9, 2005 02:22 PM

My sun sign is barely Scorpio (almost Libra), and I'm probably E. Or D, or G. Lots of problems with this experiment, but there are even more problems with the way most astrology believers go about their business. You might try asking people to identify their attributes individually, and include more negative attributes. I'd be stunned if, in such an experiment, even with a very large sample, people coalesced into the 12 broad "groups" of personality types listed above. Rising signs allow astrologers the flexibility they need to fine tune the blunt sun sign answers. A really interesting experiment would be to check the personalities of nontwin babies born almost simultaneously and in the same location. Again, I'd be stunned to find any similarities at all, but I'm open to hearing the data. :-)

Posted by: UncleVinny at March 9, 2005 02:39 PM

that's our Uncle Vinny for ya ;-)

Posted by: heather at March 9, 2005 04:51 PM

I think my inner person is an F, but my outer person is an E. I am born on the Sagittarius-Capricorn cusp, but I learned from an early age to reject all Sagittarian traits. Probably because my older sister is a Sagittarius, but my brother (who is older than her) is a Capricorn, and he just tried harder to mold me, and he won.
I have to say though, that I like eastern (Chinese) astrology much better than western astrology. If you'd like to look into this Sarah, I'm a Rabbit.

Posted by: Saira at March 9, 2005 05:01 PM

Well, I don't see "stubborn, flighty, and prone to illusions of grandeur". So my next pick is "I", as long as "meticulous" means "nit-picky prefectionist that drives everyone nuts". My sign is Capricorn.

Posted by: lafawnda at March 9, 2005 05:10 PM

I'm A, J or K. Real sign: Cancer

Posted by: John at March 10, 2005 05:12 PM

I think an "I" for this Gemini.

Posted by: Dad at March 11, 2005 09:15 AM

Definitely an A. I'm an Aries. Does it match?

Posted by: Patricia at March 11, 2005 09:35 AM

My wife says I'm a J. I think I'm an I. I know I'm Aquarius, just!

Posted by: Keith at March 11, 2005 09:45 AM

A: Determined, passionate, emotional
L: Friendly, loyal, inventive
D: Generous, creative, faithful
I can see some of these traits in myself but at least one adjective in each of the above three does not fit my personality. I am a Leo.

Posted by: Brigitte at March 11, 2005 11:26 AM

I think I would be A, I'm a Libra

Posted by: Lynn Smolich at March 11, 2005 03:27 PM

A scientific survey of Astrology was completed by a French team of scientists - non-believers. They took samples of politians, sports people, lawyers and doctors, and ran their scopes. The result of the survey showed beyond a doubt that there is a coorrelation between planetory locations and carreer/life selections of high achivers.

However, your survey above does not take into account anything but the most nominal housewives fortune telling level of Astrology... better to start with trying to get an understanding of the impact of rising signs and the planets first. Then your sampling process will be more effective - if you want to prove that Astrology works. However if the goal is to prove it wrong... then proceed as is.

Posted by: jacqueline at March 11, 2005 04:07 PM

The "goal" is to see if people can recognise aught other than the most popular or sensational traits associated with their signs.

I would be interested in reading the study you cite. I trust it was published in a peer-reviewed journal. I would also be interested in reading the subsequent studies done, since nothing is proven "beyond a doubt" in science until the results are repeated.

Posted by: Saedigh at March 11, 2005 06:46 PM

aha! Jacqueline bites! Excellent - I am sure you two will have a wonderfully rousing discussion ;-)

Posted by: heather at March 11, 2005 07:47 PM

I'm going to go with F. I'm a Leo.

Posted by: Mike at March 14, 2005 06:16 AM

I'm going to say A, because I don't see sloppy, impatient and cynical. Scorpio.

Posted by: Troy at March 14, 2005 03:18 PM

I'll have to go with D even though I'm a Scorpio.

Posted by: Aunt Glad at March 14, 2005 03:55 PM