Could a taste for bitter food mean you’re a psychopath?

Do the findings indicate that countries where bitter foods play a bigger culinary role are more sadistic? The human lab rats were shown a list of food and drink items categorized as bitter, salty, sweet, and sour. They then were asked to take a series of personality quizzes.

Next, participants were asked to fill out four personality questionnaires which measured their aggression levels and assessed personality traits of Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism.

Those who reported that they favor bitter flavors – such as black coffee, tonic water, radishes, and celery – were more likely to have “malevolent” personality traits, including narcissism, psychopathy, Machavellianism, and everyday sadism, the study found.

The researchers also pointed out that what makes a person like a specific food is a “complex knot” of biology and sensitivity to taste and odor.

According to Yahoo, the psychology researchers found that these people with an affinity for bitter tastes were more likely to be vain, sadistic and enjoy manipulating and hurting others. The coffee psychopath study provided a good platform to work from in learning how bitter foods and personality work together. But it doesn’t answer other questions, like is it biological, psychological, or both.

According to Quartz, this isn’t the first time links have been made between a person’s taste preferences and their personalities.

Those genes affect dietary choices, such as whether we eat enough vegetables, drink alcoholic beverages or enjoy citrus fruits. The latest in hyperbolic studies people love sharing as a low-grade form of humble bragging entails one that claims that taking your coffee black points to anti-social and psychopathic tendencies. Probably not. Because, simply put, if you’re anxious about being a psychopath, you nearly certainly aren’t one.