iPod music list defines character

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Revealing the music on your iPod may cause others to make spot judgements about your character, a study suggests.

Researchers at Cambridge University say people use music to define their identity - and form opinions of others.

People often view rock fans as artistic or rebellious, classical buffs as intellectual and rap followers as athletic or hostile.

The study concludes that by following bands on MySpace, we are making "public statements of who we are".

The university's Dr Jason Rentfrow said: "Even though our assumptions may not be accurate, we get a very strong impression about someone when we ask them what music they like."

STEREO-TYPES Classical: White, upper class, personable, intellectual, unattractive and boring

Jazz: Friendly, emotionally stable, with a limited sense of responsibility

Rap: Black or mixed race, lower class, athletic, energetic, hostile

Rock: Rebellious, artistic, emotionally unstable

During the study, sample groups of subjects regularly made the same assumptions about people's personalities, values, social class and ethnicity, based on their music taste.

The profiles of fans of each of the genres was sharply distinct.

Dr Rentfrow believes his paper, entitled You Are What You Listen To, demonstrates how music can reinforce stereotypes and social prejudices.

However, he said: "Heavy metal or punk fans ended up being much more friendly than the stereotype would have us believe; agreeable, warm.

"The basic message is that we can learn an awful lot about someone if we know what kind of music they like bit it doesn't tell us the whole story."

The study is the subject of a new short film, The Music In Me, produced as part of the Cambridge Ideas series marking the university's 800th anniversary.