Correlated (14 page)

50%
of people don't like the smell of suntan lotion.

But among those who can't roll their
R
s,
61%
don't like the smell of suntan lotion.

----------------

54%
of people know what their Myers-Briggs personality type is.

But among those who can't roll their
R
s,
65%
know what their Myers-Briggs personality type is.

----------------

26%
of people don't tap their foot to the music.

But among those who can't roll their
R
s,
36%
don't tap their foot to the music.

You're extremely likely to be unable to roll your
R
s if you both:

• are a better guesser than a pantomimer when playing charades
  
• like detective fiction
  

People who can't roll their
R
s are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• prefer flavored water
  
• bite their nails
  
• think it'd be fun to have an identical twin
  

49%
of people had a great first kiss.

But among those who prefer their sandwiches cut into rectangles,
61%
had a great first kiss.

----------------

60%
of people say they could never be in a relationship with a smoker.

But among those who prefer their sandwiches cut into rectangles,
70%
say they could never be in a relationship with a smoker.

----------------

24%
of people like warm milk.

But among those who prefer their sandwiches cut into rectangles, only
14%
like warm milk.

You're extremely likely to prefer your sandwiches cut into rectangles if you both:

• would rather fight 100 duck-size horses than one horse-size duck
  
• feel comfortable opening your eyes underwater
  

People who prefer their sandwiches cut into rectangles are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• say they'd feel cheated out of birthdays if they were born on February 29
  
• study better with frequent breaks
  
• have dandruff
  

33%
of people have flown first class.

But among those who have been involved in scouting,
44%
have flown first class.

----------------

51%
of people say their favorite kind of melon is not watermelon.

But among those who have been involved in scouting,
62%
say their favorite kind of melon is not watermelon.

----------------

61%
of people have witnessed a meteor shower.

But among those who have been involved in scouting,
72%
have witnessed a meteor shower.

You're extremely likely to have been involved in scouting if you both:

• have square danced
  
• have eaten venison
  

People who have been involved in scouting are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• have step-parents
  
• be double-jointed
  
• prefer Superman over Batman
  

31%
of people have been to a party that was broken up by the cops.

But among those who have tried to raise Sea-Monkeys,
43%
have been to a party that was broken up by the cops.

----------------

58%
of people say their middle toe isn't longer than either adjacent toe.

But among those who have tried to raise Sea-Monkeys,
69%
say their middle toe isn't longer than either adjacent toe.

----------------

31%
of people had an imaginary friend when they were a child.

But among those who have tried to raise Sea-Monkeys,
41%
had an imaginary friend when they were a child.

You're extremely likely to have tried to raise Sea-Monkeys if you both:

• have had a urinary tract infection
  
• prefer crushed iced to cubed ice
  

People who have tried to raise Sea-Monkeys are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• think the world would be better off if people were 10% dumber but 20% kinder
  
• belong to AAA
  
• be bothered by the sight of blood
  

26%
of people prefer white beans over black beans.

But among those who value security over liberty,
49%
prefer white beans.

----------------

32%
of people like Steven Tyler more than Liv Tyler.

But among those who value security over liberty,
47%
like Steven Tyler more than Liv Tyler.

----------------

49%
of people have taken a martial arts class.

But among those who value security over liberty, only
35%
have taken a martial arts class.

You're extremely likely to value security over liberty if you both:

• prefer cover bands with familiar songs to original music with unfamiliar songs
  
• have never voted for a minor party or write-in candidate
  

People who value security over liberty are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• golf
  
• be more scared of snakes than spiders
  
• prefer Macs over PCs
  

78%
of people say they aren't good at haggling.

But among those who have a bad sense of direction,
90%
aren't good at haggling.

----------------

45%
of people say they'd rather have an indoor whirlpool tub than an outdoor hot tub.

But among those who have a bad sense of direction,
57%
would rather have an indoor whirlpool tub than an outdoor hot tub.

----------------

61%
of people say they remain objective and unbiased, even if it means potentially hurting someone's feelings.

But among those who have a bad sense of direction, only
50%
say they remain objective and unbiased, even if it means potentially hurting someone's feelings.

You're extremely likely to have a bad sense of direction if you both:

• are clumsier than the average person
  
• dislike sea scallops
  

People who have a bad sense of direction are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• want to be cremated
  
• think climate change is caused by man
  
• think it's OK to text while peeing
  

25%
of people tilt their head to the left when they go in for a kiss.

But among those who prefer to shower in the evening,
42%
tilt their head to the left when they go in for a kiss.

----------------

33%
of people say that when squeezing past people who are seated, they point their crotch (rather than their butt) toward them.

But among those who prefer to shower in the evening,
46%
say that when squeezing past people who are seated, they point their crotch (rather than their butt) toward them.

----------------

43%
of people are more interested in foosball than football.

But among those who prefer to shower in the evening,
56%
are more interested in foosball than football.

You're extremely likely to prefer to shower in the evening if you both:

• have never been to a party that was broken up by the cops
  
• prefer
  okay
  over
  OK
  

People who prefer to shower in the evening are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• be able to spin a basketball on their finger
  
• prefer poetry that rhymes
  
• not want to know the sex of a baby before it's born
  

It's possible to influence the results of a poll simply by asking questions in a certain order or, in the case of multiple-choice questions, by listing the options in a certain order.

For instance, suppose you are conducting a political poll. You first ask, “What is our country's greatest problem?” Then you ask, “What is your opinion about the president?” People's answer to the first question is likely to influence their answer to the second question.

When pollsters intentionally order their questions in this way to influence responses, it's called priming, and for obvious reasons, it can affect the credibility of the poll.

To avoid any appearance of priming, most reputable polling companies randomize either the question order, the option order, or both.

81%
of people think well-done graffiti is art.

But among those who like the idea of single-sex public schools, only
67%
think well-done graffiti is art.

----------------

28%
of people have an American Express or Discover credit card.

But among those who like the idea of single-sex public schools,
41%
have an American Express or Discover credit card.

----------------

32%
of people like country music.

But among those who like the idea of single-sex public schools,
44%
like country music.

You're extremely likely to like the idea of single-sex public schools if you both:

• believe in objective morality
  
• have a long commute
  

People who like single-sex public schools are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• like tomato soup
  
• have dated someone they met on a dating website
  
• have extraordinary-sounding hiccups
  

48%
of people say they make poorer choices when they're bored than when they're stressed.

But among skiers,
69%
say they make poorer choices when they're bored than when they're stressed.

----------------

52%
of people aren't easily startled.

But among skiers,
73%
aren't easily startled.

----------------

55%
of people claim to be good at parallel parking.

But among skiers,
73%
claim to be good at parallel parking.

You're extremely likely to enjoy skiing if you both:

• have ridden on a zip line
  
• think ketchup on eggs is yummy
  

Skiers are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• have done a fast or cleanse to remove toxins
  
• love bad puns
  
• chew gum frequently
  

53%
of people think BASE jumpers are cool.

But among those who are up for skydiving,
71%
think BASE jumpers are cool.

----------------

80%
of people have used a manual typewriter.

But among those who are up for skydiving,
91%
have used a manual typewriter.

----------------

67%
of people say their internal clock is pretty accurate.

But among those who are up for skydiving,
77%
say their internal clock is pretty accurate.

You're extremely likely to be up for skydiving if you both:

• like roller coasters
  
• think Halloween is more fun when you're of legal drinking age than when you're a kid
  

People who are up for skydiving are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• have broken a bone
  
• smoke
  
• dislike sideburns
  

31%
of people are Justin Timberlake fans.

But among those who think the Edge is a better rock guitarist name than Slash, only
16%
are Justin Timberlake fans.

----------------

33%
of people say their father was absent, estranged, or emotionally distant during their childhood.

But among those who think the Edge is a better rock guitarist name than Slash, only
21%
say their father was absent, estranged, or emotionally distant.

----------------

58%
of people think old people are cute.

But among those who think the Edge is a better rock guitarist name than Slash,
67%
think old people are cute.

You're extremely likely to think the Edge is a better rock guitarist name than Slash if you both:

• don't like cotton candy
  
• prefer
  The Simpsons
  to
  South Park
  

People who think the Edge is a better rock guitarist name than Slash are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:

• have done a fast/cleanse to remove toxins
  
• like guacamole
  
• prefer non-mint gum