"".
Another study conducted by an astronomer, George Abell, concluded that there is no correlation between the phase of the Moon and the number of births. The study investigated 10,000 natural (without C-sections) births in LA hospitals (Dyar 2).
Perhaps the most ambitious study was a "meta-analysis- conducted by a team consisting of two psychologists and an astronomer, who analyzed more than 37 studies on the effects of the moon on mental behavior, but concluded that there is no causal relationship between lunar phenomena and human behavior (Science Frontiers 3).* .
However, a correlation has been established between plant growth and the phases of the moon. A 1972 study established that spring plantings flourished after the new moon and full moon (Dyar 2).
Even though a number of studies have dispelled any scientfic basis for beliefs in the power of the full moon to affect human events, the beliefs persist. As Dyar put it, "There is not a bit of scientific proof . . . that supports people's assumptions about this age-old correlation. It is an ancient science that has not been replaced with the newer theories- (2). .
Why do these beliefs persist despite strong evidence to the contrary? Several theories have been offered. Dyar suggests that "when people feel the same way about something, they create a large enough mental influence that they can sometimes will the event they imagine into a reality- (Dyar 2). One needs only recall the Salem witch trials or the enduring popularity of Santa Claus to realize the strong power of common belief.
The authors of the meta-analysis described above give additional reasons for the persistence of beliefs in full moon madness: a lack of understanding of physics, and slanted media reporting (Science Frontiers 3). The third given reason, psychological biases, is akin to Dyar's explanation of widely held beliefs. If one begins with a premise that a certain phenomenon is true, that belief will persist despite evidence to the contrary; "Individuals are more likely to notice events that support their beliefs than those that do not- (Kelly, et al.
