Studies at the University of Cambridge have revealed that many of us use musical taste both as a means of expressing our own identity, and to form and refine our opinions about other people.

Researchers found that sample groups of subjects regularly make the same assumptions about peoples personalities, values, social class and even their ethnicity, based on their musical preferences. Rock fans, for instance, are commonly held to be rebellious and artistic, but emotionally unstable. Classical music-lovers, on the other hand, are seen as personable and intellectual, but unattractive and a bit boring.

The studies have been led by Dr Jason Rentfrow, from the University’s Department of Social and Developmental Psychology, who is conducting ongoing research into the links between personality and musical taste.