Can women’s birth-signs predict their preference for shoes?

Professor Dawkins’ recent programme (Enemies of Reason, Channel 4, August 2007), has made it a dangerous time for academics to be associated with anything considered to be ‘pseudo-science’, but could there just be some evidence for the predictive ability of Astrology?

Initially, our study set out to explore the relationship between personality and shoe preference. However, the researchers became intrigued by the similarities between modern psychological personality ‘types’, the mixed-humour temperaments of Galen and the four basic types of zodiac sign (the four elements).

A sample of 76 women was shown pictures of shoes that had been selected for star-type by a professional astrologer. They were asked to rate each pair of shoes according to their ‘attractiveness’.

It was found that the birth signs, Earth, Air, Water and Fire were predictive of women’s shoe choice.

The photos show the ‘generic’ types of shoes representing those preferences.

Further research is envisaged to find out which elements of shoe design is attractive to individuals of the four Birth signs. Shoe manufacturers should be interested in the results of this research as the possibilities for birthday shoes and fashions would make present buying that much simpler for star-struck spouses!

Nigel Marlow, Psychology Department,

London Metropolitan University, 2011