Draft 1: Human Behavior with Relation to the Lunar Cycle

The Lunar-M ooners
Kate Maus, Danielle Haynay, Lauren Adams, Megan Strobel,
and Lauren Skirbunt

Abstract
Our investigation is on the study of human behavior with relation to the lunar cycle. In our study, we are going to record the moon position and phase along with certain people's behavior for each given day. Comparing the two pieces of data, we will look to see if there is a pattern. We can compare the data we gather with other resources.

In addition to this, we will determine if there are any behavioral differences between the sexes. We will also look to see if there are any patterns with other factors such as: crime, birth rates, menstrual cycle, alcohol consumption, homework load, and amount of sleep. Each person in the group will observe three specific males and three specific females by administering a survey.

A factor relevant to this research is how the moon affects peoples' behaviors. Thus far, we have noticed that there is a pattern with the results from the surveys around the new moon. Starting on October 22, a second set of surveys will be administered in accordance to the full moon.

Introduction
The purpose of our student-generated lab is to determine if there is a relationship between the phases of the moon and human behavior, taking into account birth rates in selected hospitals and crime rates in selected cities. Our studies will be preformed in the Cleveland, Ohio and Oxford, Ohio areas.

How we decided on this project because we were interested in the moon and we a peer make a comment in class that led us to further peruse this idea. We came about our specific questions by for the survey doing research to find the typical moods of people with relation to the lunar cycle. From this research, we decided on the most prominent personality traits and produced a survey for individuals to take.

In researching the effects of the lunar cycle in relation to human
behavior, the information digested has led us to an assumption of some possible out comes. Our prediction is quite simple. When the moon is full, people, both male and female, will experience a slight change in their mood and behavior. They will suffer more from stress and become more emotionally unstable. Persons will be more sensitive to details and the slightest change could affect their emotional stableness. Work overload will cause an influx of intense stress. Persons will want alone time to deal with their own frustrations. They will lack the attention span to deal with others and will have a lack of assertiveness.

When a new moon occurs, people, male and female, will experience a sense of calmness. Their emotions will stabilize and their willingness to accept difficulties will reach its peak. The persons will be more energetic and open-minded. Optimism will also result from this moon phase. They will become more susceptible to change. Along with this sense of emotional tranquility, the individuals will get more work done. The quantity of work, no matter the amount, will not effect their emotions as significantly, as compared to when the moon is full. In addition to looking at different moods in relation to the phase of the moon, we will also be looking for variations between the genders.

Women and men have obvious differences. Stereotypically, women display their emotions more frequently than men do. Our prediction is that the moon will have a greater affect on the change in behavior of women than men. The men will not show this change in behavior as strongly as women will. We are also taking into consideration women's moods in relation to the menstrual cycle; we realize that this time could alter our results. In our survey (see below) we will ask this question and see if it affects our outcome.

While researching articles found in relation to our study, we have come to the assumption that when there is a full moon, crime rates will experience a sudden increase in activity. When there is a new moon crime rates will experience a sudden decrease in activity. There will be an increase in birth rates during a full moon and a decrease in birth rates during a new moon. Other research done on this test concluded that "Scientific analysis of data does not support the belief that the number of births increases as the full moon approaches, therefore it is a myth not reality" (Joshi). We hope to ether agree or prove wrong.

One might associate the idea of this lab to be based on a myth. Our goal is to bring mythology to reality. Our thoughts behind this are that most people associate a full moon with moodiness and a new moon with tranquility. Our job as discovers, will be to prove this theory right or wrong. We hope our research will not only inform us, but also open our minds to the truths of the patterns of human behavior.

Relevance to your research question
In reviewing others work, we were able to narrow the topic down so we could focus on birth rates and crime rates. We also discovered flaws in other research labs. We have taken note of these flaws so that we will not reproduce them in our lab. One group focused on menstruation as compared to the lunar cycle. This group charted the cycles of women living in the Western residence halls to see if the moon had an effect on their cycles. They then compared their data to a moon calendar and hypothesized that the new and full moon phases had more of an impact on their cycle than the quarter phases. They thought that when there was a full moon, females were more likely to menstruate.

Other research was conducted on studies of food and alcohol intake with relation to the lunar cycle and delivery rates with a similar comparison. These studies have introduced us to the option of testing different areas and seeing if there is a similar outcome. "The results of these studies showed when there was a full moon food intake increased slightly and alcohol intake decreased slightly. A small but significant lunar rhythm of nutrient intake was observed with an 8% increase in meal size and a 26% decrease in alcohol intake at the time of the full moon relative to the new moon" (de Castro, Pearcey). These studies have introduced us to the option of testing different areas and seeing if there is a similar outcome. There was no change in delivery rates in comparison to the lunar cycle.

If we find our hypothesis to be true, then we will be able to relate our experiment to the real world. We are constantly confronted with different behaviors, so therefore we can use our data to develop a strong idea of whether or not the moon can become an influence on the human race. If there is an increase in crime rates during a full moon, proper precautions could be taken for protection. If there is an increase in delivery rates during a full moon, hospitals can be prepared for the influx of births by staffing more doctors and nurses.

Teaching Procedure
What we are going to do when we teach the Seminar class is the following:

* Ask about prior knowledge toward folklore concerning the moon and its cycles

* Explain how we did our project and how we are seeing the way questions in our survey are being tied to the moon cycle.

* Pass out our survey to students, students will then take the survey, after the students finish taking their survey, we will have produced a chart on the black board in order to show the class
results. The class will participate in the tabulation of the survey results buy raising their hands in correlation with the number with what they chose.

* We will then ask the students if they see any patterns with the results. After this, we will show them our results that we have obtained thus far. This will set the tone for the group discussion where the students will give us their feedback or thoughts toward this subject.

* We will also ask them if they think Stat View will assist us in the best possible way in drawing a conclusion. We will also ask if they have any other suggestions as to how this information can be useful.

Research
In reviewing others work, we were able to narrow the topic down so we could focus on birth rates and crime rates. We also discovered flaws in other research labs. We have taken note of these flaws so that we will not reproduce them in our lab. One group focused on menstruation as compared to the lunar cycle. This group charted the cycles of women living in the Western residence halls to see if the moon had an effect on their cycles. They then compared their data to a moon calendar and hypothesized that the new and full moon phases had more of an impact on their cycle than the quarter phases. They thought that when there was a full moon, females were more likely to menstruate. We are going to try to prove this theory true or false based on the information that w have gathered.

Other research was conducted on studies of food and alcohol intake with relation to the lunar cycle and delivery rates with a similar comparison. These studies have introduced us to the option of testing different areas and seeing if there is a similar outcome. The results of these studies showed when there was a full moon food intake increased slightly and alcohol intake decreased slightly. There was no change in delivery rates in comparison to the lunar cycle. We have included questions on our survey that ask about alcohol intake and we will be looking for a relation between this and the lunar cycle.

Materials and Methods
Our methods will include a survey, which we will administer to selected males and females, including some teachers, who are part of the Western community. Each of these persons will be consistently asked throughout our experiment. The survey will be conducted two days before and after the full moon and new moon. We are only observing around the new and full moon cycles, and not focusing on the quarter and half moon cycles, because the most prominent human characteristics stand out during the full and new moons. A calendar of the lunar cycles guides us as to when the surveys will be issued and the information gathered.

The survey will consist of questions ranging from mood to what is going on in personal surroundings. The people surveyed will answer on a scale from one to five, one being not at all, and five being extremely. We are ensuring unbiased results because we are asking a random selection of people who have no prior knowledge of what we are looking for, with relation to the cycles of the moon. The survey contains these questions:

· Today did you feel energetic?
· Today did you feel lethargic?
· Today did you feel temperamental?
· Today were you more easily agitated than usual?
· Today did you feel angry?
· Today did you feel violent?
· Today did you feel optimistic?
· Today did you feel pessimistic?
· Today were you indifferent to things that happened around you?
· Today were you social?
· Today were you anti-social?
· Today did you feel more sexually inclined than usual?
· Today were you more assertive than usual?
· Today did you feel caring?
· How much sleep did you get last night?
· Did you have a lot of homework?
· How much alcohol did you consume last night? Today?
· Are you menstruating?
· Are you sick?

Our data sheet is a hard copy of the survey we will administer to the select community so that we can form an overall conclusion. We will also have an accurate calendar stating the precise phases of the moon. At the conclusion of our lab, we will have a consensus of the surveys and statistics. Throughout the design of our lab, we sought the advice from the most intelligent professor at Miami University, Dr. Hays Cummins. He was most helpful with guiding us in the directions.

Our time-line of research begins on October 7 through October 11, with the start of a new moon. A survey will be handed out to fourteen female and male students along with a male and female teacher. These students include a variety of Western and Architecture/Interior Design students who have various mood levels. Then on October 22 through October 26, another survey will be handed out in accordance to the full moon phase. After the surveys are collected and tabulated, the Lunar Mooners will review the information collected (and will also have quite a large headache NOT based on the lunar phase). Then, on November 5 through November 9, the same survey will be administered to the select 30 individuals. Again, on November 20 through November 24, the last set of surveys will be handed out. After this, information will be reviewed and compacted to observe any similarities within the two sets of cycles. We will do this by creating a chart for each day of the week around the cycle. One to five (the ratings) will be located on the X-axis while the number 1-15 (the question) will be on the Y-axis. The last five short answer questions on the survey will be put in a table showing the results. We will take this information and compare it to the information in other peoples research groups to prove them right or wrong.

*The table on the next page shows the results from the first set of surveys collected on Oct. 11.*

Within this period of two cycles, we might have contact with hospitals in the Cleveland area to receive informational statistics on birth rates. In addition to this, we might contact with police stations from the Oxford or Cleveland areas to obtain information on crime rates. The statistics of birth rates and crime rates from the areas will be gathered from the month of July and August 1999. The dates of July 11 through 15, July 25 through 29, August 9 through 13, and August 23 through 27, will be our focus. These will be in accordance to the new and full moons of the stated months. After all the statistics are collected we will check to see if the highs occur during a specific moon phase by plotting the numbers in a line graph with days of the month on the y-axis and crime incidence/ birth rates on the x-axis. After the whole month is plotted, we will connect the dots and determine whether the highs occur around a specific moon phase.

Visit these web sites:
* http://www.lunarsynergies.com/astro_moon/astromoon.html
* http://www.lunarsynergies.com/lunar_nodes/nodes.html
* http://www.lunarsynergies.com/lunar_cycle/lunarcycle.html
* http://www.kena2.com/notes/102098_discussions.html
* http://muc.muohio.edu/~a/menstruation.html
* http://www.googol.com/moonprint/index.html

Bibliography:
De Castro and Pearcey, Lunar Rhythms of the Meal and Alcohol Intake of Humans, Physiology & Behavior,
Vol. 57, No 3 pp. 439-444

Raison, Klein, Steckler, The moon and madness reconsidered, Journal of Affective Disorders, Vol: 53,
Issue 1, pp. 96-106, April 1, 1999

Ghiandoni, Does lunar position influence the time of delivery? A statistical analysis, European Journal of
Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Vol: 77, issue 1 pp. 47-50, March 1, 1998

Joshi, Labor ward workload waxes, and wanes with the lunar cycle, myth, or reality? , Primary Care
Update for OB/GYNS, Vol: 5, Issue: 4, pp. 184, July 8, 1998

Myers, Gravitational Effects of the period of high tides and the new moon on lunacy, The Journal of
Emergency Medicine, Vol 13, No 4, pp 529-532, 1995

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