Media News
X Factor votes favour late singers
Wednesday 2 December 2009
The academics compiled data from 150 editions of the 'X Factor' and 'Pop Idol' to prove the theory that a contestant's fate does not boil down to whether they can sing.
In eight live 'X Factor' shows this year, four singers were eliminated after being either the second or third act to perform, researchers said, but when contestants sang later in the evening they were less likely to be eliminated.
Dr Lionel, who undertook the research with the University of London, said that none of the people who sang last on this year's series of the X Factor had been eliminated.
He said: "In week one, Kandy Rain went out and they were second on, in week three Miss Frank left after being third on.
"John and Edward Grimes went when they were third on and Lloyd Daniels was voted out after being the second person to perform.
"If the show is about singing, it shouldn't matter if they were performing first or last. But it does. We believe people tend to be biased when there is a sequence. You are influenced by the fact that you remember people depending on whether they were singing first or last.
"Memory can have a huge effect on how we judge performances."
He added that the first singer to perform in the 'X Factor' is not at the greatest advantage, but less likely to be eliminated than those in second or third place.
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