prefer Google Chrome as their browser
White Noise
26% of people say their parents or grandparents are immigrants.
But among those who prefer white noise when they sleep, only 14% say their parents or grandparents are immigrants.
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72% of people prefer their gravy thick and gloopy rather than thin and soupy.
But among those who prefer white noise when they sleep, 83% prefer their gravy thick and gloopy rather than thin and soupy.
----------------
49% of people suffer from seasonal allergies.
But among those who prefer white noise when they sleep, 60% suffer from seasonal allergies.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to prefer white noise when you sleep if you both:
are better at punctuality than punctuation
prefer cold weather over hot
NO CORRELATION
People who prefer white noise when they sleep are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
feel more confident in comfortable clothes than in dressy clothes
know the difference between a stock and a bond
have been on a cruise
Wisdom Teeth
50% of people have made a career change.
But among those who haven’t had any wisdom teeth extracted, only 37% have made a career change.
----------------
45% of people are not very physically affectionate.
But among those who haven’t had any wisdom teeth extracted, 57% are not very physically affectionate.
----------------
35% of people do not consider voting a moral duty.
But among those who haven’t had any wisdom teeth extracted, 46% do not consider voting a moral duty.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to have not had any of your wisdom teeth extracted if you both:
have never taken a philosophy course
like the smell of citronella
NO CORRELATION
People who haven’t had any wisdom teeth extracted are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
be terrible bowlers
believe women should be subject to the draft
live alone
Women
42% of people own cardigans.
But among women, 72% own cardigans.
----------------
30% of people have nice handwriting.
But among women, 55% have nice handwriting.
----------------
31% of people prefer checkers to chess.
But among women, 54% prefer checkers to chess.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to be a woman if you both:
prefer Hillary Clinton over Bill Clinton
prefer to sip cold beverages through a straw
NO CORRELATION
Women are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
think fireworks displays are better when they’re set to music
have used the word obsequious in conversation
find Australians sexy
Work Less vs. Earn More
59% of people are dog lovers.
But among those who would rather work less than earn more, only 45% are dog lovers.
----------------
54% of people know what their Myers-Briggs personality type is.
But among those who would rather work less than earn more, 66% know what their Myers-Briggs personality type is.
----------------
37% of people don’t make wishes before they blow out their birthday candles.
But among those who would rather work less than earn more, 48% don’t make wishes before they blow out their birthday candles.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to say you’d rather work less than earn more if you both:
tend to choose tails in a coin toss
dislike Big Business more than Big Government
NO CORRELATION
regularly check their horoscope
plan their outfits the night before
have gone glow bowling
World War III
54% of people think there’s been a net decrease in morality over the past century.
But among those who think World War III will occur in the next 25 years, 68% think there’s been a net decrease in morality over the past century.
----------------
38% of people say they are passive-aggressive.
But among those who think World War III will occur in the next 25 years, 52% say they are passive-aggressive.
----------------
56% of people prefer Star Wars to Star Trek.
But among those who think World War III will occur in the next 25 years, 68% prefer Star Wars to Star Trek.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to think World War III will occur in the next 25 years if you both:
dislike the scent of menthol
would regift the Clapper
NO CORRELATION
People who think World War III will occur in the next 25 years are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
have summer birthdays
prefer their sandwiches cut into triangles
have taken a martial arts class
Yoga
32% of people prefer sweet potatoes to potatoes.
But among those who do yoga, 53% prefer sweet potatoes to potatoes.
----------------
27% of people regularly use mouthwash.
But among those who do yoga, 44% regularly use mouthwash.
----------------
22% of people have a Pinterest account.
But among those who do yoga, 38% have a Pinterest account.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to do yoga if you both:
are a Lady Gaga fan
like having your feet massaged
NO CORRELATION
People who do yoga are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
say they’d rather be called a nerd than a geek
like their current bank
be Caucasian
Zombie Victims
23% of people have Tumblr accounts.
But among those who say they have been attacked by zombies, 55% have Tumblr accounts.
----------------
48% of people say their interest in sports is lower than their ability to play sports.
But among those who say they have been attacked by zombies, 70% say their interest in sports is lower than their ability to play sports.
----------------
37% of people prefer their vitamins in gummi bear form.
But among those who say they have been attacked by zombies, 55% prefer their vitamins in gummi bear form.
DOUBLE PLAY
You’re extremely likely to have been attacked by zombies if you both:
prefer to dry your hands with air dryers, rather than paper towels, in public restrooms
prefer Batman over Superman
NO CORRELATION
People who have been attacked by zombies are almost exactly as likely as the average person to:
prefer foreign cars
describe themselves as a little bit racist
have served as ring bearers or flower girls at a wedding
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Foremost thanks go to Correlated.org’s contributors, who supplied the data used in this book, an
d especially to the top contributors—numbering several hundred—who have answered more than 90% of the poll questions that have been published since Correlated’s inception.
Thanks also to Marian Lizzi and Maria Gagliano at Perigee, Laurie Abkemeier at DeFiore & Co., and to everyone else involved in the production of the book.
Finally, I’d like to thank my wife, Tanya, and the rest of my family. Their support, encouragement, and feedback have been instrumental in bringing this book to life. They have celebrated my strengths and put up with my many weaknesses, and for that I am deeply grateful.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shaun Gallagher is the founder of Correlated.org and is also the author of Experimenting with Babies: 50 Amazing Science Projects You Can Perform on Your Kid (experimentingwithbabies.com).