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Biorhythms: fact or superstition?

D K Winstead, B D Schwartz, W E Bertrand

The American Journal of Psychiatry

|September 1, 1981

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study found no evidence that biorhythms influence psychiatric hospitalizations or emergency room visits. Biorhythm theory is too simplistic to explain complex life events, suggesting belief may be superstitious.

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Area of Science:

Psychology
Psychiatry
Behavioral Science

Background:

Popular belief suggests biorhythms impact life events, but empirical evidence is scarce.
Biorhythm theory posits cyclical patterns influence human behavior and critical incidents.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the empirical relationship between biorhythm cycles and psychiatric admissions.
To examine the correlation between biorhythms and psychiatric emergency room visits.

Main Methods:

Analyzed psychiatric hospitalization dates for 218 patients against their biorhythm cycles.
Compared psychiatric emergency room visit dates for 386 patients with their biorhythms.

Main Results:

No significant relationship was found between psychiatric admission timing and biorhythm phases.

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No significant correlation was observed between psychiatric emergency room visits and biorhythm cycles.

Conclusions:

Biorhythm theory lacks empirical support for influencing psychiatric critical events.
The complexity of life events cannot be explained by simplistic biorhythm models.
Belief in biorhythms may represent superstitious behavior rather than scientific validity.