Unconscious Archetypal Selection Bias in Professional Ice Hockey: A Multivariate Positional Analysis of Astrological Ephemeris Data and the Relative Age Effect
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study investigates whether unconscious scouting bias exists in National Hockey League (NHL) talent acquisition, driven by psychological and behavioral archetypes. Analyzing a dataset of 777 players across all 32 NHL rosters, the research quantifies standard physical maturity biases, such as the Relative Age Effect (RAE), against independent lunar variables (Sign, Element, Modality) mapped to emotional typologies. Utilizing exact binomial tests, Cohen’s h effect sizes, and Savage-Dickey Bayes Factors (B10), 4,864 distinct positional configurations were evaluated. Results indicate no archetypal solar advantage capable of overcoming the RAE physical penalty. However, when evaluating independent lunar placements across specific positional subgroups (e.g., Centers, Left Wings, Right Wings, Defensemen), extreme localized scouting biases emerge. Front offices consistently filter players through highly distinct, positional psychological profiles, with 13 franchises exhibiting three or more concurrent statistical anomalies, indicating that human evaluation networks unconsciously draft for specific behavioral mechanics.
Source: PsyArXiv (OSF Preprints)
Language: English
Subfield: Economics and Econometrics
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7220746806