[__ Science __ ] Does A Full Moon Really Change Human Behavior?

[HeIsRisen2018]

I'm just curious because apparently there's one out where I live (the Buckeye state) tonight and up till now I've been acting like this;

 

[Barbarian]

When I was in the AF, I was NCOIC in the ER, and everyone thought that a full moon meant a busy night.

When I added up the data, it didn't support that idea. Never looked to see if there was any big study on that.

(Barbarian checks)

There is a more serious problem for fervent believers in the lunar lunacy effect: no evidence that it exists. Florida International University psychologist James Rotton, Colorado State University astronomer Roger Culver and University of Saskatchewan psychologist Ivan W. Kelly have searched far and wide for any consistent behavioral effects of the full moon. In all cases, they have come up empty-handed. By combining the results of multiple studies and treating them as though they were one huge study—a statistical procedure called meta-analysis—they have found that full moons are entirely unrelated to a host of events, including crimes, suicides, psychiatric problems and crisis center calls. In their 1985 review of 37 studies entitled “Much Ado about the Full Moon,” which appeared in one of psychology’s premier journals, Psychological Bulletin, Rotton and Kelly humorously bid adieu to the full-moon effect and concluded that further research on it was unnecessary.


Persistent critics have disagreed with this conclusion, pointing to a few positive findings that emerge in scattered studies. Still, even the handful of research claims that seem to support full-moon effects have collapsed on closer investigation. In one study published in 1982 an author team reported that traffic accidents were more frequent on full-moon nights than on other nights. Yet a fatal flaw marred these findings: in the period under consideration, full moons were more common on weekends, when more people drive. When the authors reanalyzed their data to eliminate this confounding factor, the lunar effect vanished.
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/lunacy-and-the-full-moon/

I guess it doesn't.

 

[Razeontherock]

It does! Economic markets have entire systems based on lunar cycles. Cops see this regularly.

Just because some eggheads couldn't find it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means they aren't very bright.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

It does! Economic markets have entire systems based on lunar cycles. Cops see this regularly.

Just because some eggheads couldn't find it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means they aren't very bright.

Lol! Once again thanks for clearing that up for me Ray since I didn't have a clue what that article was talking about anyways.

 

[Barbarian]

Just because some eggheads couldn't find it doesn't mean it doesn't exist, it just means they aren't very bright

Comes down to evidence. And things like police reports don't show more craziness during a full moon.

SPOKANE, Wash. – The full moon will be in full force on Wednesday night and while it is a beautiful sight, it has also been a source of superstitions for generations.

Law enforcement and emergency responders have said they brace for busy nights whenever there is a full moon.

KREM 2 verified if the superstitions are true.

First, KREM 2 referenced the Farmer’s Almanac and picked four full moons from 2016; February 22, April 21, August 18 and December 13.

These dates were then sent to the Spokane County 911 Call Center to see if responders noticed a spike in calls on those days.

Compared to the same day two weeks later, three of the four chosen dates saw higher call numbers by an average of 116.

However, the last full moon date, December 13, had 276 fewer calls than the same day two weeks later.

KREM 2 then turned to Dr. Eric Chudler, a neuroscientist at the University of Washington. Chudler has compiled dozens of studies on the full moon and its impact on human behavior.

“The overwhelming evidence suggests that there is no relationship between those abnormal behaviors and the phase of the moon. When these things happen and you just happen to notice that the moon is out at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, you notice it and assign blame to it,” said Chudler. “But, the same things happen at other times of the month and so you don’t assign blame to other particular times of the phase of the moon.”

Knowing that the full phone is still a superstition among law enforcement and first responders, KREM 2 turned to the Spokane Police Department to see if they were aware of the superstitions and if it impacted their operations.

“I’ve heard of it. I can tell you we don’t necessarily adjust staffing levels based on lunar cycles. There’s no predictability to it,” said Spokane Police Officer Shane Phillips. “I think that’s one of the challenges of being a police officer, you can’t really let down and bank on wife’s tales. You kind of just have to be ready for whatever.”
https://www.krem.com/article/news/l...s-crime-increase-during-a-full-moon/438467130

 

[Razeontherock]

The people in the study you base far reaching conclusions on never considered candlestick charts. That is more than enough to prove the conclusions you draw from it are entirely too far reaching.

 

[WIP]

All I know is that my wife was a bartender for most of her adult life and she often commented about going to work during a full moon. Her typical comment was, "Full moon this coming weekend (or tonight). The crazies will be out." She would tell you without hesitation that things were much more chaotic during a full moon.

I personally have not been able to correlate fish activity with the full moon but most lunar charts follow the moon phases. Maybe it's just hype or maybe not.

I have recognized that deer movement seems to be more pronounced during the full moon not just at night be during the day as well. It's subtle though.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

All I know is that my wife was a bartender for most of her adult life and she often commented about going to work during a full moon. Her typical comment was, "Full moon this coming weekend (or tonight). The crazies will be out." She would tell you without hesitation that things were much more chaotic during a full moon.

I personally have not been able to correlate fish activity with the full moon but most lunar charts follow the moon phases. Maybe it's just hype or maybe not.

I have recognized that deer movement seems to be more pronounced during the full moon not just at night be during the day as well. It's subtle though.

My mother works in a checkout line in a grocery store and she says basically the same thing you're saying about getting all the crazies in her line during a full moon.

 

[Barbarian]

All I know is that my wife was a bartender for most of her adult life and she often commented about going to work during a full moon. Her typical comment was, "Full moon this coming weekend (or tonight). The crazies will be out." She would tell you without hesitation that things were much more chaotic during a full moon.

Most of my guys in the ER would tell me that. But looking at the logs, the numbers didn't show it.

I personally have not been able to correlate fish activity with the full moon but most lunar charts follow the moon phases. Maybe it's just hype or maybe not.

Fish often do this during full or new moons, because the tides are higher. So that's understandable for coastal species, maybe others. Likewise a full moon provides light and could affect the behavior of some nocturnal animals.

I have recognized that deer movement seems to be more pronounced during the full moon not just at night be during the day as well. It's subtle though.

Sounds like there should be some data out there..(Barbarian checks)

Apparently, you're right. From what I can find, there might be some effect on deer, but it's subtle, if it exists:
https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/b...-big-impact-does-full-moon-have-deer-activity
If you care about deer and moon phases, you might want to hear what these guys have to say. Seems like a thoughtful and balanced discussion.

I don't find a serious study saying one way or the other, but experience hunters seem to think so. And confirmation bias rarely leads to that kind of conclusion.

 

[Explorer55]

My Stepfather, who was a Lieutenant in charge of Operations and the #2 man in their Police Department once told me that crime does in fact increase during a full moon.

 

[Jacks Bratt]

As for deer, and most ungalates, I saw a study done by a guy in a wildlife management unit for the government. He said that, no matter what phase of the moon, these animals, Deer, caribou, moose, etc, will get out of their beds and move to feeding grounds whenever the moon is directly overhead, or directly beneath the earth... Never really used in in my hunting as we are limited to one week and can only hunt during daylight...

 

[stovebolts]

Comes down to evidence. And things like police reports don't show more craziness during a full moon.

SPOKANE, Wash. – The full moon will be in full force on Wednesday night and while it is a beautiful sight, it has also been a source of superstitions for generations.

Law enforcement and emergency responders have said they brace for busy nights whenever there is a full moon.

KREM 2 verified if the superstitions are true.

First, KREM 2 referenced the Farmer’s Almanac and picked four full moons from 2016; February 22, April 21, August 18 and December 13.

These dates were then sent to the Spokane County 911 Call Center to see if responders noticed a spike in calls on those days.

Compared to the same day two weeks later, three of the four chosen dates saw higher call numbers by an average of 116.

However, the last full moon date, December 13, had 276 fewer calls than the same day two weeks later.

KREM 2 then turned to Dr. Eric Chudler, a neuroscientist at the University of Washington. Chudler has compiled dozens of studies on the full moon and its impact on human behavior.

“The overwhelming evidence suggests that there is no relationship between those abnormal behaviors and the phase of the moon. When these things happen and you just happen to notice that the moon is out at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, you notice it and assign blame to it,” said Chudler. “But, the same things happen at other times of the month and so you don’t assign blame to other particular times of the phase of the moon.”

Knowing that the full phone is still a superstition among law enforcement and first responders, KREM 2 turned to the Spokane Police Department to see if they were aware of the superstitions and if it impacted their operations.

“I’ve heard of it. I can tell you we don’t necessarily adjust staffing levels based on lunar cycles. There’s no predictability to it,” said Spokane Police Officer Shane Phillips. “I think that’s one of the challenges of being a police officer, you can’t really let down and bank on wife’s tales. You kind of just have to be ready for whatever.”
https://www.krem.com/article/news/l...s-crime-increase-during-a-full-moon/438467130

Those guys are all stoned anyway lol!

 

[Luminous_Rose]

Most people that I have ever heard working in the medical profession - specifically in the ER or in some wing of the hospital will tell you, "YES!" EMT's and Paramedics usually expect a full moon to be a busy busy night.

It also seems that some people can have an increase or decrease in medical symptoms, although I do not think this has been actually proven in a study.

However, I wouldn't be able to honestly explain why this is.

 

[Truthfrees]

i will try to find the evidence when i get a chance to look but this is what i heard years ago from somewhere

the lunar cycle is about the moon coming closer to the earth in it's parabolic orbit

when the moon is closer it affects the water tides - and we are 90% water

this increased gravity affect is why some people feel unwell unsettled

other things that affect our sense of wellbeing are electrical currents from power poles - negative ions in the air after rain/thunderstorms

so it is subtle but it does occur due to a change in the gravity forces between earth and moon

this is the best i can remember right now - i think there is more details i missed

 

[Razeontherock]

There are entire financial trading systems that move billions, based on the phases of the moon. They work like clockwork, depending entirely upon human behavior.

 

[Truthfrees]

There are entire financial trading systems that move billions, based on the phases of the moon. They work like clockwork, depending entirely upon human behavior.

what is the principle on that?

people sell on full moons?

i'm interested in learning what that is about

 

[Tessa]

One of my friends told me that her staff always behaved different with a full moon.
My cats act a bit crazy too.

 

[HeIsRisen2018]

One of my friends told me that her staff always behaved different with a full moon.
My cats act a bit crazy too.

That's my cat almost every day lol!