Full Moon Madness: Myth or Reality?

Werewolves, vampires and crime-Oh, my!
It is a widely held belief that the full moon affects human behavior in a variety of strange ways, ranging from increases in alcoholism, automobile accidents, birth rates, crime rates, suicides, homicide, epilepsy, and insanity (Times Courier 5)-indeed, the word “lunacy� itself is derived from the Latin word luna, meaning “moon-but reliable scientific studies lend no support to these beliefs (Dyar 2, Time Courier 5).
Beliefs in the lunar influence on human behavior have been noted in the fields of psychiatric services, criminal justice, and health care (Reno 8). Some studies undertaken in the 1970s reported a relationship between the lunar cycle and the rate of homicides (Lieber & Sherin, 1972), the utilization of emergency mental health services (Blackman & Catalina, 1973), and the rate of emergency calls to local authorities (De Voge & Mikawa, 1977). Reno reported that contradictory evidence to refute these studies exists as well, and concluded that “The overwhelming amount of studies done on the lunar hypothesis does not support a relationship between the moon and human behavior. Reno 7.
One theory, advanced by Arnold Lieber in 1972, held that the lunar cycles which cau

Actually the moon and the sun affect the tides only of unbounded oceans, not small containers of water. There are no tidal shifts in glasses, buckets, tubs, swimming pools, or small lakes. Nor do they occur in humans. Even if they did, astrologers have never explained how this would affect one’s personality or fate. . . Moreover, standard calculations for the gravitational pull on humans show that . . a mother holding her child exerts about 12,000,000 times as much tidal force on her child as the moon.”

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., quoted in Time Courier 6). The media reinforce these biases by seeking out quotations from so-called “experts” that can be turned into interesting headlines (Time Courier 5).

His explanation for the persistent belief in the lunar influence is because of what he calls an “illusory correlation” between the two:

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 .