Why Do People Believe in ‘Fortunes’ and ‘Horoscopes’?

People believe in ‘fortunes’ and ‘horoscopes’ because they feel like these predictions understand them. It’s like having a friend who knows what will happen next. When something in the fortune comes true, it makes you think it was right all along.

The Magic of Confirmation

When people see their horoscope and it matches how they feel that day, it feels magical. Even if it’s not always correct, the times it is make them believe more. This is called confirmation bias, when we notice things that support what we already believe.

Why It Feels Real

Fortunes are usually short and general, so many people can see themselves in them. That makes it feel like the fortune was made just for them.

Take the quiz →

Examples

A kid checks their fortune and sees it says ‘You will have fun today’, and they do because they play video games all afternoon.
Someone reads their horoscope and it says ‘Your day will be full of surprises’, then their coffee spills on the floor, which feels like a surprise.
A person believes that if their horoscope says ‘Good luck’, they’ll pass an exam, even though they didn’t study.

Ask a question

Discussion

Recent activity

Categories: Culture · Belief Systems,Astrology,Psychology