Teaching Students to Use Statistical Reasoning to Debunk Astrology

Abstract

Students were taught to use statistical reasoning to critically evaluate the pseudoscience of astrology. A pretest and posttest were given before and after a 20-minute lesson that empirically demonstrated the inaccuracy of three entertaining astrological predictions and, in doing so, taught skills in quantitative literacy. On the pretest, 33% of the 233 undergraduates enrolled in introductory or intermediate psychology courses believed that astrology is “not at all scientific.” Following the short lesson debunking astrology, that percentage increased to 84%. The data for testing astrological predictions came from the General Social Survey, which can be freely and easily used to teach quantitative skills or pursue further research on discrediting astrology. Students found the lesson debunking astrology interesting and worthwhile.