Open-Source Psychometrics Project
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Documentation for the Zodiac-sign Associated Personality Scales

This page serves as the manual for the interactive version of the ZAPS on this website.

Premise

Astrology is not normally a personality test, but this project was undertaken to try to turn it into one to see if anything could be learned. There are many different types of astrology, the most common and widely known is the simple "sun sign astrology" where people are divided into 12 different signs based on their birth date and peoples personalities correlate with their sign. Other types of astrology complicate and extend this by saying a person can have multiple different signs, or deny this general and idea and claim astrology is not about personality but something else (usually fortune telling). It was chosen to focus on sun sign astrology because it is most widely known, but expect many people to obejct to this with the claim that this approach is ignortant of 'true astrology'.

Evaluating items

They survey was advertised on Reddit (r/SampleSize, r/AskAstrologers), Facebook (Astrology Explorers) and on this website, where a request for volunteers was put on the results page of the Four Temperaments Test (this test was chosen as it seemed to me to be similar in vibe to astrology so there are a good chance users would be receptive to a survey about it). In the end, a great majority of survey responses came from users of this website with only about 200 coming from social media.

In the main body of the survey, users were given a random selection of personality test items and asked to categorize them as to what sign they associated them with. A screenshot of this user experience is below.

At the end, a few more follow up questions were asked. As pictured in the screen shot below.

The knowledge question was to make sure that people were not guessing randomly. Only responses from people who answered either "Somewhat" or "I'm an expert" will be considered. The frequency of responses is in the graph below.

The other questions on that page were to help generate items to test. The survey was originally launched with 72 items sourced from web profiles of the signs (6 each) and 1 item each from the SAPA-27, to cover the full spectrum of personality. After initial data came in more items were generated using the user suggestions for signs where more items were needed. A total of 175 items were tested. The survey was adaptive. Items that did not seem promising (voters did not agree) stopped being evaluated after initial data, while good candidates were included in the survey until they got at least several hundred votes.

Selecting items

The table below shows for every item, what percent of votes on that item were for each sign and the total number of voters (n). Click on a header to sort by that column.

Item % of votes for sign n
I have no patience. 57 5 6 1 6 2 1 4 7 3 2 0 358
I love competition. 48 3 3 0 15 2 1 4 6 9 1 0 451
I have high self-esteem. 10 2 3 0 58 1 3 2 5 4 3 0 414
I show off. 8 1 4 1 67 1 2 2 3 2 3 0 415
I am a leader. 31 2 1 0 29 3 4 1 4 15 4 0 165
I hate getting too many details. 20 6 4 3 6 6 2 4 16 4 7 13 81
I decorate my walls with art. 2 11 6 1 3 7 19 1 0 5 11 26 76
I want to experince passion and romance. 10 6 1 8 6 1 15 16 6 1 1 20 60
I make sure my bed is extra comfortable. 1 50 2 13 3 7 4 1 3 2 1 5 395
I am stubborn. 8 62 1 0 3 2 1 4 3 7 2 1 385
I never let my friends down. 3 11 4 16 14 8 12 6 4 3 4 6 62
I am a hedonist. 6 20 8 1 8 0 9 8 16 2 1 2 72
I am extremely busy and overwhelmed. 4 1 5 3 2 22 5 2 9 34 0 1 87
I am curious and playful. 5 5 22 2 12 1 6 2 24 1 7 6 77
I have a short attention span. 14 3 38 2 4 1 2 0 11 2 4 11 424
I like to keep up with the gossip in my friend group. 2 4 33 4 11 5 23 6 1 1 1 2 168
I multitask. 4 1 35 0 0 18 5 2 5 16 4 0 415
I keep in touch with my relatives. 3 10 2 46 3 3 5 1 3 5 2 7 388
I am very intuitive. 3 2 4 16 2 6 3 12 4 2 4 35 318
I often cry. 2 0 1 50 0 1 2 3 0 0 1 31 309
I hate to spend money on unneccesary things. 1 14 2 2 2 18 3 2 2 40 3 2 409
I have a lot of empathy. 2 2 2 35 2 2 5 2 1 0 0 41 140
I sometimes worry about irrational things. 0 1 2 21 2 26 5 3 2 5 4 19 123
I make a lot of jokes. 8 2 23 2 13 3 3 2 29 4 1 4 93
I crave success. 6 2 2 0 13 8 2 5 2 50 1 1 504
I surround myself with an entourage. 5 0 8 1 39 1 13 2 9 3 2 2 334
I get people excited about a cause. 10 2 7 6 19 5 10 0 15 4 12 1 127
I make everything about me. 9 1 5 3 58 3 2 3 3 1 3 3 395
I prefer not to be criticized. 6 6 0 13 15 5 8 4 6 7 7 13 123
I have intense passion in romantic relationships. 9 3 2 5 13 3 13 43 1 1 2 3 97
I am overly critical of myself. 1 2 2 8 3 46 3 5 1 14 3 3 533
I am analytical. 1 1 7 0 0 43 4 6 3 18 10 0 450
I hate to ask for help. 9 2 2 2 17 15 1 10 5 30 1 2 92
I like the idea of duty. 5 12 0 2 1 31 4 2 1 31 5 1 90
I notice EVERYTHING. 3 1 8 1 3 40 8 13 2 4 4 6 82
I would martyr myself for the right cause. 9 1 1 14 4 9 4 4 4 13 3 21 61
I take the diplomatic approach. 2 3 4 1 1 12 48 2 2 10 3 4 416
I will carry a grudge when someone wrongs me. 10 10 3 3 3 6 1 42 1 6 4 4 89
I strive for harmony. 1 5 1 5 1 5 56 0 3 1 2 13 385
I want to live a life of beauty. 0 16 3 2 13 4 44 2 2 1 2 5 391
I make grand plans, then don't follow through. 15 5 15 1 5 7 7 1 20 3 7 7 84
I will call off a relationship if I can see it wont work in the future. 3 4 1 2 8 13 3 5 8 32 8 3 87
I remain calm. 0 26 0 0 0 12 15 1 2 17 12 6 107
I can get jealous. 6 6 3 7 12 3 2 47 2 1 1 3 377
I like to tease and be teased. 8 1 31 1 7 2 15 13 8 0 5 2 80
I get intense. 27 2 2 3 4 1 1 47 2 2 2 1 487
I don't hold back when I want something. 37 3 2 1 8 1 2 11 7 18 1 1 80
It is hard to earn my trust. 3 5 2 3 2 6 2 46 3 13 6 1 395
People know me to be extremely adventurous. 10 1 5 0 7 1 1 1 60 2 4 1 395
I like philosophy. 1 0 5 3 2 11 5 5 20 7 21 8 156
I prefer to work on projects alone. 5 2 1 2 1 17 1 11 5 32 10 5 80
I am complicated. 1 0 13 5 2 9 3 29 3 9 16 3 86
I am loyal. 3 21 1 7 18 13 6 10 6 6 0 3 66
I prefer to innovate. 6 2 9 1 3 4 3 2 6 6 43 4 375
I have a lot of self-control. 1 12 1 3 2 22 4 5 2 38 4 1 395
I can be a bit of a know-it-all. 3 4 11 0 11 25 1 0 12 12 15 0 63
I hate it when people don't take responsibility for their actions. 6 4 2 1 5 17 6 6 5 35 4 1 199
I need my possessions to be quality craftsmanship. 3 28 2 0 8 10 4 4 1 23 4 1 160
I have disliked almost everything at one point or another. 3 6 2 3 1 14 1 16 5 10 17 8 78
I am stubborn in arguments. 15 38 3 1 8 5 0 5 6 5 8 2 97
I always try to be original. 4 1 4 1 11 2 2 5 4 1 54 4 387
I love intellectual conversation. 1 1 21 1 2 13 4 8 7 9 23 2 336
I am shy and quiet. 0 3 0 21 0 5 4 6 1 8 12 29 178
I see the world as bursting with posibilities. 6 0 13 4 7 4 2 3 25 6 12 10 148
I don't love easy. 6 3 4 2 3 10 2 18 3 31 10 0 83
I require constant mental stimulation. 7 2 39 3 3 7 2 3 8 5 11 3 415
I sympathize with the underdog. 1 3 1 24 1 7 8 5 4 2 12 24 85
I fall in love easily. 3 3 6 19 8 3 14 6 4 1 1 21 61
I prioritize the needs of my friends. 3 5 0 26 7 10 10 3 1 3 7 21 57
I am extremely empathetic. 1 2 1 32 1 1 8 3 1 1 4 35 213
I hard time accepting help. 6 14 1 1 9 19 4 10 4 18 7 1 83
I have a hard time focusing on mundane tasks at work. 10 3 14 1 5 1 2 3 21 2 12 19 88
I get angry easily. 67 4 2 3 5 0 0 6 2 1 1 1 380
I usually like to spend my free time with people. 7 1 23 0 16 0 20 3 16 0 3 0 107
I dislike myself. 3 0 1 17 0 17 0 9 1 11 4 20 63
I love dangerous situations. 37 2 5 1 11 1 1 18 14 1 2 0 77
I am a worrier. 2 3 2 23 1 32 5 1 2 3 3 13 176
I tell a lot of lies. 4 2 36 2 4 2 12 13 5 2 3 6 395
I find it difficult to get down to work. 14 4 22 2 4 2 1 0 10 1 10 19 67
I am quick to understand things. 4 6 30 0 0 14 5 3 4 11 16 2 97
I am able to come up with new and different ideas. 4 2 18 3 3 5 2 0 8 3 38 8 399
I act without thinking. 44 1 9 3 5 0 1 2 20 0 3 1 104
I dislike being the center of attention. 1 8 0 18 3 27 0 7 2 6 7 15 80
I keep things tidy. 2 3 1 1 0 63 4 1 1 12 2 2 529
I respect authority. 5 2 0 7 2 20 14 2 1 38 0 1 77
I have a natural talent for influencing people. 6 2 13 1 26 1 12 11 8 2 7 2 90
I trust what people say. 2 5 3 22 2 2 16 1 5 1 1 29 377
I laugh a lot. 4 6 25 5 14 1 8 0 27 2 2 0 74
I am open about my feelings. 7 1 5 27 10 1 7 2 10 1 0 22 180
I do not like art. 16 6 2 3 6 6 2 3 4 28 6 2 87
I love to reflect on things. 1 1 4 13 2 13 10 4 4 3 12 29 91
I continue until everything is perfect. 2 2 1 1 2 61 3 1 1 17 2 1 496
I am able to control my cravings. 2 5 1 2 1 19 13 3 1 33 4 3 103
I am just an ordinary person. 0 27 1 12 0 14 7 0 5 9 7 3 54
I dislike changes. 1 35 1 13 4 17 2 4 1 10 3 2 146
I like to take it easy. 3 40 7 4 2 3 7 0 12 2 7 7 323
I get overwhelmed by emotions. 8 1 3 36 2 2 2 8 1 1 3 28 83
I believe in one true religion. 2 10 2 6 2 10 2 6 10 13 6 8 83
I am concerned about others. 1 2 2 39 2 10 13 1 2 2 3 17 468
I am a pyromaniac. 40 0 2 2 10 0 2 10 12 2 5 3 79
I seek sanctuary and provide that for others. 1 12 1 33 2 8 9 2 3 3 5 12 397
I am very nostalgic. 3 10 2 27 3 5 7 3 4 5 3 21 115
I can get closed off and crabby. 7 7 6 28 2 4 0 14 0 19 4 4 114
I am a homebody. 1 35 1 29 0 8 1 2 1 4 3 5 411
My intuition keeps me safe. 1 2 5 12 0 7 4 25 2 4 8 25 191
I constantly need new experiences and to meet new people. 7 0 25 1 10 1 12 4 31 0 4 1 95
People tell me I am open-minded. 1 2 15 3 2 2 12 1 18 2 25 10 363
I respect the need to use violence. 50 1 2 2 3 1 0 19 6 6 2 0 383
I can't stay in one place. 11 2 22 1 3 1 3 2 41 2 5 2 480
I am blunt with my honesty. 18 3 3 0 5 9 3 9 20 12 5 4 154
I'll always be young at heart. 17 2 17 2 19 2 5 2 17 1 6 8 100
I have kept a dream journal. 0 1 2 9 3 2 3 1 2 2 10 54 411
I spend a lot of time in my own head. 0 3 7 3 1 11 5 9 3 3 21 27 227
I am idealistic. 3 3 2 5 9 15 5 2 8 5 15 21 95
I am easily convinced by new arguments. 6 1 15 9 3 2 24 1 7 1 3 15 106
I give money to the homeless. 1 4 1 24 5 4 17 0 2 1 7 20 101
I'd enjoy a job where I travel all the time. 3 2 6 1 4 3 3 1 58 3 7 2 415
I rely on seeing signs to make my decisions. 1 2 7 9 0 6 12 6 4 5 6 29 131
I like to be cosy. 3 44 1 18 1 0 5 2 3 0 4 6 206
I keep the peace. 0 8 0 9 0 5 50 1 2 4 3 11 330
I don't take things too seriously. 5 5 21 1 4 1 6 2 33 1 8 5 404
I will do anything for friends or family, life or death. 8 9 3 23 6 3 4 18 2 5 4 6 143
I like to flirt. 11 4 14 1 14 1 30 9 8 2 1 2 97
I have stirred up drama for fun. 5 2 28 7 17 2 11 10 9 1 1 1 166
I know the birthdays of all of my friends. 4 5 9 19 7 18 9 3 6 3 1 10 94
I tend to remain in one location. 1 47 0 13 0 9 2 0 1 12 2 2 318
I would be upset if someone called me creepy. 2 6 6 15 6 10 8 15 1 0 2 21 73
I make clever wordplay. 4 3 31 2 4 8 4 5 8 8 10 2 85
I am afraid of big decisions. 2 3 9 8 0 5 42 2 7 3 4 8 317
I am impulsive. 56 2 5 1 6 1 0 5 15 0 3 1 383
I make sure to do self-care. 3 24 5 4 19 12 12 2 0 2 3 4 128
I provide lots of food and drink when I host an event. 0 41 3 12 8 5 7 3 5 3 1 1 323
I instantly pick up on a person's energy. 3 2 9 12 2 2 10 14 5 2 3 27 477
I have been criticized for being controlling. 13 2 2 2 9 20 3 24 2 13 1 1 81
I forgive, but never forget. 4 7 2 9 2 2 7 35 8 4 1 9 81
I matured early. 4 7 0 3 2 19 3 8 1 35 5 4 134
I am motivated by duty. 6 6 0 1 2 22 1 3 1 46 2 1 323
I am responsible. 1 12 1 0 1 40 5 5 0 25 2 2 71
I would be a good lawyer. 5 3 11 0 4 13 19 6 5 22 5 0 136
I am the one that fixes everything. 4 7 4 3 3 36 6 4 1 19 1 7 66
I want to break through people's shells. 10 7 2 13 13 3 9 15 10 3 3 2 76
I care about politics. 11 2 2 4 1 6 11 5 5 27 17 1 118
I write poetry. 0 3 3 10 0 7 10 3 3 3 7 44 480
I carry the weight of the world on my shoulders. 8 4 2 9 6 13 4 6 0 24 12 6 75
I adapt to my surroundings. 6 0 33 0 2 1 11 7 6 6 6 14 78
I search for the meaning of life. 0 1 4 5 2 6 1 7 19 4 20 22 319
I have a great sense of humor. 7 5 28 1 8 1 4 0 29 2 7 0 139
I want to study ancient philosophy. 1 2 7 3 0 9 7 5 18 11 25 3 76
I like to teach. 0 7 15 5 5 31 5 0 9 10 3 3 76
I want to heal others. 2 1 0 31 1 12 12 1 2 2 4 26 190
I don't talk about what's bothering me 7 4 1 3 3 11 1 25 4 14 14 7 63
I am devoted to those I commit to. 6 24 0 12 12 3 3 13 3 15 0 1 66
Family is the most important thing to me. 2 11 1 50 6 4 3 1 2 6 1 4 471
I don't like small talk. 3 3 7 1 4 0 0 19 10 24 10 10 66
I am goofy. 8 4 24 0 8 1 1 0 21 1 16 9 61
I love pets and houseplants. 0 25 1 20 1 18 10 0 0 0 3 16 60
I am moody. 16 4 6 19 4 4 3 19 0 6 4 8 61
I get crushes easily. 9 1 11 14 7 0 31 4 1 0 1 15 63
My best moments were in my childhood. 8 6 3 17 8 3 12 3 3 1 3 15 58
I am interested in the occult. 1 1 2 2 1 2 1 46 3 3 11 14 491
I am generous with my time. 3 16 8 11 8 8 3 1 10 6 3 10 59
I respect something in everyone. 0 6 3 18 1 12 27 0 1 4 7 10 66
I am well respected. 4 6 1 1 16 11 5 4 2 40 3 0 412
I am good at showmanship. 6 2 8 1 49 2 5 1 7 3 1 2 253
I have a lot of personality. 4 0 22 0 33 3 3 4 14 3 3 1 62
I dress up. 3 7 1 0 38 1 32 3 4 1 0 3 65
I buy luxuries. 1 33 5 1 21 1 20 3 0 8 0 0 60
I am passionate about what I do. 22 3 3 8 12 4 6 17 4 3 4 4 62
I collect things. 0 16 7 13 3 9 3 0 0 9 10 15 65
I have like a billion friends. 3 0 17 1 17 0 22 0 12 3 5 7 57
I like science fiction. 1 4 7 2 1 8 2 5 4 3 45 7 348
I am eccentric. 2 0 8 1 11 1 2 3 5 1 48 6 368
I am continually coming up with ideas. 3 2 34 0 2 6 4 0 7 3 23 8 239
I am a political person 6 3 7 1 4 13 11 2 11 19 13 0 236
I choose uniqe hair styles or outfits. 2 1 7 1 14 1 9 4 5 1 40 7 376

With some consideration for content (e.g. some items felt too similar to use both), the following selection was made:

Aries (♈)
  • I get angry easily.
  • I have no patience.
  • I am impulsive.
  • I love competition.
Taurus (♉)
  • I am stubborn.
  • I make sure my bed is extra comfortable.
  • I tend to remain in one location.
  • I provide lots of food and drink when I host an event.
Gemini (♊)
  • I require constant mental stimulation.
  • I have a short attention span.
  • I tell a lot of lies.
  • I multitask.
Cancer (♋)
  • Family is the most important thing to me.
  • I often cry.
  • I am concerned about others.
  • I seek sanctuary, and provide that for others.
Leo (♌)
  • I show off.
  • I make everything about me.
  • I have high self-esteem.
  • I surround myself with an entourage.
Virgo (♍)
  • I keep things tidy.
  • I continue until everything is perfect.
  • I am overly critical of myself.
  • I am analytical.
Libra (♎)
  • I strive for harmony.
  • I keep the peace.
  • I want to live a life of beauty.
  • I am afraid of big decisions.
Scorpio (♏)
  • I can get jealous.
  • I get intense.
  • It is hard to earn my trust.
  • I am interested in the occult.
Sagittarius (♐)
  • People know me to be extremely adventurous.
  • I'd enjoy a job where I travel all the time.
  • I can't stay in one place.
  • I don't take things too seriously.
Capricorn (♑)
  • I crave success.
  • I am motivated by duty.
  • I am well respected.
  • I hate to spend money on unneccesary things.
Aquarius (♒)
  • I always try to be original.
  • I am eccentric.
  • I like science fiction.
  • I choose uniqe hair styles or outfits.
Pisces (♓)
  • I have kept a dream journal.
  • I write poetry.
  • I am very intuitive.
  • I rely on seeing signs to make my decisions.

These are the items used for the interative quiz. A 6 point response scale from 1=Strongly disagree to 6=Strongly agree is used there, but that is just to make the raw scores go from 0 - 20, which is nice. There is no reason a different response scale couldn't be used.

  Updated: 7 August 2020
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