LUNAR CORRELATES OF NORMAL, ABNORMAL AND ANOMALOUS HUMAN BEHAVIOR

Abstract

From ancient times, people have believed that the moon affects human behavior. To test this belief, roral lunar cycle (29,5 day synodic period) was correlated against 35 variables recorded during the calendar year 1993, The variables included global geophysical factors, local weather in Las Vegas, NV, indices of ahnormal and criminal activities in Clark Counry, NV, fluctuations in mutual fund prices and lonery payour percentages for six US state loneries, All data were averaged to smooth out daily fluctuations, data related to criminal and abnormal human behavior were adjusted for day-of-week periodicities, and the financial data was de-trended.

Three types of relationships were explored: Correlation with rota I lunar cycle; mean differences between the waning and waxing lunar cycles; and sudden changes on the day of the full moon,

Besides obtaining expected correlations with some geophysical variables, statistically significant relationships were also observed with some behavioral variables, mutual fund residuals and state louery payour percentages. Bivariate spectral analyses confirmed the presence of 29.5 day cycles in the crisis calls, abnormal, financial and lottery payout behavior. Variables showing sudden changes on the day of the full moon included crisis calls, suicide, and psychiatric admission rates. Variables showing significam differences between the waning and waxing moon included homicide and crisis calls.

We conclude that this dataset supportS popular beliefs about imerrelationships of lunar phase and human behavior.