Summer's child ... astrology or biology, the seasons have an impact on personality.Photo: Andy Zakeli, The Age.
LONDON, England (The Telegraph), December 2, 2007:
Astrology may usually be dismissed as a harmless superstition, but scientists are discovering that the date when we are born really can affect our later lives.
Research has revealed that the time of year in which a person is born can influence their personality, their health and even whether they are male or female.
But rather than being written in the stars, studies are showing that it is the season of birth that predisposes individuals to different traits.
In the northern hemisphere, women born in May will display more impulsive behaviour while those whose birthday falls in November will be more reflective. Men born in the spring will also show greater persistence than those born in winter.
Other research has revealed that people born in the autumn will tend to be physically active and excel in football while those born in the spring will be more cerebral and may be better suited to chess.
Those born between September and December are more prone to panic attacks while there is growing evidence that schizophrenia is higher among those born in the late winter and early spring.
"It is exactly what you would expect if it were temperature related," explained Richard Wiseman, a professor of psychology at the University of Hertfordshire who has examined the effect of the season of birth on whether people feel lucky. "Many of the effects reverse in the two hemispheres."
Professor John Eagle, a psychiatrist at Aberdeen University who has studied the links between season of birth and mental health, added: "The two main culprits … are diet and the seasonal fluctuations in nutrition, and the increase in infections during the winter. There are genetic factors and other environmental reasons that play a role, so the season of birth is just a contributing factor."
Research based on the seasons has revealed that those born in the autumn will tend to be physically active and excel in football. Hugh Grant was born in September, when men are more likely to be sporty. Grant likes golf and played cricket when he was youngerAstrologers have seized upon the findings as evidence that an individual's personality is influenced by their star sign and justification for millions of people who pore over their horoscopes every day.
But scientists insist that there are fundamental biological reasons behind the effects rather than the position of the stars and movement of the planets.
Professor Jayanti Chotai, at Umea University in Sweden, said that levels of crucial hormones produced by a pregnant woman change depending on which season an infant is born, and this could be "hard-wiring" personality traits while a baby is in the womb.
Temperature, infections, light exposure, lifestyle changes and nutrition, which can all change depending on season, are all thought to influence these hormones.
Professor Chotai said: "The variations … are explained by the seasonal variations in our solar system. For example, winter has less sunlight and lower temperatures and the epidemics of virus infections are more prevalent."
Date of birth has also been found to affect health with summer children being less prone to asthma but more likely to be short-sighted.
Astrologers will not, however, take comfort from David Voas's research on how we find love.
The professor from Manchester University found no evidence of attraction between star signs in his analysis of 20 million husbands and wives in England and Wales.
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
© Copyright of Telegraph Media Group Limited 2007
