Love a gin and tonic? Then you’re more likely to be a psychopath, a study shows
Sometimes, it's not just the drink that's bitter
IS a G&T your favourite tipple? This could mean that you’re more likely to have psychopathic tendencies.
Research reveals that people who are drawn to bitter-tasting drinks are more likely to be narcissistic and sadistic.
The study was led by Professor Christina Sagioglou from Innsbruck University in Austria and involved almost 1,000 test subjects.
Findings suggested that people who opted for stronger, sharper flavours were more likely to experience a “thrill” when they felt discomfort.
Professor Sagioglou explained that the sensation can be “compared to a rollercoaster ride, where people enjoy things that induce fear”.
First, the participants were asked to rank a list of sweet, salty and sour foods on a six point scale ranging from "dislike strongly" to "like strongly".
After registering their taste preferences, subjects were given four different personality tests that measured aggression, selfishness, psychopathy and narcissism.
During the testing, participants were asked to give assessments on statements such as: “Given enough provocation, I may hit someone” and “I enjoy tormenting people”.
They were also questioned about extroversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness and emotional stability.
Trends in the results showed that bitter taste preferences were strongly associated with psychopathic tendencies.
This means that those who were drawn to drinks, such as a refreshing gin and tonic or an invigorating cup of coffee, were more likely to be narcissistic.
In contrast, those who registered an aversion to bitter foods were linked to more agreeable personality traits, such as being kind, sympathetic and cooperative.
