Social scientists can predict your vote from your car, music, food, and shows
He says buying and viewing habits alone give an accurate read, because belonging shapes everyday choices.
Partnering Leadership · 467 [Leadership Reset] How Minds Change: The Surprising Science of Belief, Persuasion, and Transformation with David McRaneyDavid McRaney, author of "How Minds Change," says social scientists can very easily tell who you voted for from just the car you drive, the music you choose, the food you eat, and the shows you watch.
He says researchers can set aside everything else they know about a person demographically and still get an accurate read on other choices from buying and viewing habits alone.
The reason, in his account, is belonging. People want to stay part of their us and be seen as good members, so daily likes and purchases line up with the group.
People group up around what they buy and watch, so those habits track their vote.
Questions people ask
How accurate is that prediction?
McRaney does not name a study or give a percentage in this discussion. He presents it as his claim that researchers can do it very easily from those clues alone.
Is this just an American thing?
The pattern is strongest in the United States, where the two major parties now align closely with urban versus rural, college versus non-college, and other lifestyle divides. Similar links between consumption and politics appear in other countries, but the specific brands and shows that signal left or right are local.