About our study: Background
We were not able to find a significant amount of previous research done on our specific topic of whether certain astrological signs correspond with higher intelligence levels. First, we did a google search by using the keywords “horoscope signs vs. GPA.” No useful information was really found by using these keywords, as all we found were multiple websites with horoscope readings. We also searched “intelligence levels of horoscopes,” “astrological signs vs. GPA,” as well as looking at the individual astrological signs, hoping to find some information relating to intelligence. Next, we tried typing “are aries smarter than scorpios?” into the yahoo search engine as well as other horoscope signs. This resulted in no useful information. Information that was found included which horoscope signs were more powerful, stronger, or better listeners. Using these keywords, no relevant information was found other than other studies dealing with GPA alone.
Finally, while in class we decided to try to search for background information using the four seasons; summer, winter, fall and spring, instead of the astrological signs, because that is how we will be categorizing our data after all the surveys have been returned. We used the keywords “intelligence level of season as individual is born,” which really doesn’t make much sense, however we found multiple useful websites with relevant information. The first website found was http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlet
s/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=
SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ750349 and provided information on a research done on The Aberdeen Children of the 1950s Cohort Study. This study found that in many cases primary school children born in the late winter and spring months tend to be more intelligent than those children born in the fall and early winter months. The study also explained that no real evidence of intelligence level was based on the season of birth for older children and adults. Another website found under these keywords is http://bps-research-digest.blogspot.com/2006/09/why-season-of-birth-is-related-to.html. The Research Digest Blog explains why the season of birth could be related to childhood intelligence. Investigators and researchers have found that environmental factors such as infections and temperature at the time of conception and birth can affect the brain development of a child.
A third website, http://www.jstor.org/pss/1050142 explains why summer children may be at a disadvantage for early intelligence. The site gives information as to why children born during the summer months may be less intelligent at a young age, such as the climate during pregnancy and that they are usually the youngest of their school grade or group. One of the confounding variables that the researchers of this study found is the length of schooling. A final website that provided relevant information was http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9F-4J2TS96-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_so
0221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&m
b38fa609f38. They concluded that in no cases did the date of birth of a child result in differences of personality or general intelligence.
From the background information we gathered, we have concluded that there may be a possible relationship between the birth season of a child and their intelligence level at a young age. No relative information was found for high school students or adults.
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