Empirical evidence from Latin America indicates that ideology is not only narrative in nature but also translates into material outcomes—i.e. it affects conditions of well-being (Ramírez, 2024). However, what happens in the opposite direction? The main contribution of this chapter lies in demonstrating that this same materiality feeds back into and shapes the ideological matrix. The analysis is based on data from the 2022 National Survey of Political Cultures and Democracy (ENCPD, UNAM–CONACYT) in Mexico, and it explores three ideological dimensions: self-identification on the left–right spectrum, an index of sociopolitical ideological values, and objective ideological behaviour as expressed in electoral processes. Using probabilistic models (ordered logit and probit), two key relationships are examined: on the one hand, the relationship between well-being (objective and subjective) and ideology; on the other, the influence of subjective ideology on objective ideology. The results show that university education in Mexico—especially in private institutions—is significantly correlated with right-wing stances, reinforcing conservative orientations even among people who benefit from redistributive policies. This finding suggests the possible existence of an ideological-electoral “Stockholm syndrome” (Ramírez, 2024) among middle sectors that support right-wing options that have historically limited their own well-being. In contrast, lower-income groups display a greater affinity for national-populist governments. Finally, the evidence indicates that holding a subjective right-wing ideology—whether self-declared or based on values—significantly reduces the probability of voting for a party that is objectively left wing.