People with a sweet tooth are more likely to be friendly, scientists have claimed. Volunteers who chose a piece of chocolate over a non-sweet food item were found to have sweet dispositions while also viewed the same by others, according to a new study. Among chocolate-goers’ characteristics, researchers found an inclination to volunteer and help others in need strongest among them. But before chocolate flies off the shelves, it should be noted that researchers say they were able to determine whether it was chocolate’s mood-lifting effect, or an independent trend in the type of recipient.
“It is striking that helpful and friendly people are considered ‘sweet’ because taste would seem to have little in common with personality or behaviour,” Mr Meiers added on his surprise of the findings. “People rated those associated with sweet food higher in agreeableness,” Mr Meiers said. That judgment was made through images of people, never met, making neutral facial expressions. Below the images, a brief description of them was offered, like whether they enjoyed eating chocolate. The research was published in the ‘Journal of Personality Social Psychology’.
