In the first of a series of custom profiles, YouGov reveals the details of the lives of regular cannabis users
The launch of the YouGov Profiler app earlier this month put a vast amount of data in the public realm, allowing people to discover the distinguishing features of the customer- and fanbases of tens of thousands of celebrities, movies, even types of food. Instead of the average member of that community, the app reveals the quintessential member of that group - defined by what distinguishes them as a group from the rest of the population.
Each week from now on we wil be pulling out custom profiles from our connected data vault to see what we can learn about the way we all live.
First up, regular cannabis smokers. One of the advantages of being a member of the YouGov panel is that all your answers are totally anonymous and secure, meaning that people feel happy to answer sensitive questions. Almost 1,000 of our members have told us that they smoke cannabis more than once a week, allowing us to combine their profile data and determine which datapoints differentiate them.
The concentration in urban areas such as London and Glasgow is perhaps not surprising, nor the apparent correlation with creative industries such as media, advertising and design.
But it's the 'lifestyle' page that the quintessential cannabis user really comes to life. His top activities are playing video games and playing an instrument; interests include, "sitting around doing as little as possible" and Amsterdam; and the top correlated food is Nachos - a heavy, easy-to-make dish that might serve as a good solution to cannabis-related food cravings commonly known as 'the munchies.'
As we get to know him more, we discover (through the personality data) that he considers himself "alternative", "individualistic", "challenging", "non-judgemental" and "easy going" but admits that, at times, he can be "unmotivated", "stroppy", "arrogant", "scatty" and "depressed". He seems to be keen on other, less controversial, stimulants as well: Red Bull is the top correlated brand, and the second most correlated attitude reveals, "when I drink, I drink to get drunk."
The entertainment and cultural touchpoints that rise to the top are less stereotypical, however. They cover a broad range, with an emphasis on comedy (8 out of the top 10 correlated TV programmes are comedies) and heavy music (electronic or guitar-driven). Only two conventional 'stoner' movies feature in the top ten (Let's be cops and Human Traffic).
The media and top correlated online destinations are similarly revealing. The top scoring Facebook like among the group is 'Cheech and Chong' - perhaps the definitive stoner movie - and South Park is also in the top three. Radio Two DJ Sarah Cox is the top Twitter follow. An alternative-left media theme also emerges, linking the top attitude that 'the world is controlled by a secretive elite', with a top Facebook like being Wikileaks and the top scoring website being Alternet.org, the alternative news website.
In coming weeks we will be pulling out particular custom profiles - any suggestions for groups you'd like to learn more about through YouGov Profiles, leave in the comments below! Click HERE to go to the full profile.
