What your snack choice says about your personality: study

Perhaps this is why you have a “sweet” demeanor.

Scientists have found that people with a sweet tooth generally boast a more amiable disposition, per a study published in the Journal of Research In Personality.

“Research has shown that a preference for sweet foods is associated with agreeableness,” reads the study, which was compiled by researchers at Pennsylvania’s Gettysburg College.

In fact, these findings could be the reason why we describe more amenable people as “sweet” in Western lexicon.

“The preference for sweet foods is a universal human characteristic that is described as positive,” the researchers concluded. DenisMArt – stock.adobe.com

While this correlation between sugar cravings and sweet demeanor has been observed in the U.S. before, it’s unclear whether this rule applied internationally — until now.

To test whether this link was universal, researchers recruited 1,629 participants and had them fill out a survey to assess their levels of openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, extraversion and neuroticism, the Daily Mail reported.

They were then asked to rate 10 saccharine items — ranging from candy to maple syrup and raisins — on a scale from one (strongly dislike) to six (strongly like).

Finally, they ranked their taste for sweet, sour, salty, bitter and spicy foods to see where they fell on the flavor spectrum.

Scientists say the correlation could be rooted in metaphor as “sweet” is often used to describe agreeable people. bit24 – stock.adobe.com

They found that there was a cross-cultural correlation between amiability and having a candy crush.

“The preference for sweet foods is a universal human characteristic that is described as positive,” the researchers declared.

While there are likely many factors behind this link, researchers conclude that it largely has to do with language and not the psychological result of a sugar infusion.

“If people understand that sweetness and niceness are linked via metaphor, and people believe they are either nice or like sweet foods, people might seek consistency by viewing the self as one who is nice and likes sweet foods,” they wrote. “People may resonate with experiences that ‘fit’ their personalities. Metaphors might be one way to examine this fit.”

Ultimately, “the exact mechanisms involved in the effects cannot be determined,” as the research is “correlational” in nature, the researchers concluded.

No word as to whether hot sauce fans have a fiery temper, savory tooths are salty, or if those who like trail mix are a bit nutty.

However, past research has shown a link between psychopathic, anti-social and sadistic personality traits and enjoying bitter foods.