Study subjects who expressed a preference for sweet over savory tastes also tended to be more agreeable. Karen Hopkin reports. With Halloween around the corner, parents are fretting over what all that candy will do to their little goblins. Well, it might just make them sweeter. Because people who prefer sugary snacks actually seem to be more kind. So says a study in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. [Brian Meier et al, Sweet taste preferences and experiences predict prosocial inferences, personalities, and behaviors] We often describe personality or behavior with taste-related terms. Think of someone who’s bitter, or sour or maybe even a little picante. But do our tastes in food really reflect who we are? Scientists looked for a link between a love of sweet things and the tendency to be generous or generally agreeable. College students answered a series of questions about their character—whether, for example, they’re soft-hearted or enjoy insulting people. Then they rated their liking for a variety of foods, from cake and ice cream to cranberries, sauerkraut and salsa. And it turns out that kids with a sweet tooth see themselves as sweet. And maybe they are. Those that liked candy more than crackers were more likely to volunteer around campus or for additional studies. So if you’re looking to score a little milk of human kindness, try putting out a plate of cookies.

“喜歡吃甜食勝過吃喜辛辣食物的人往往更討人喜歡” ——Heren Hopkin

萬圣節將至，爸爸媽媽們開始發愁，不知道糖果究竟能給他們的小精靈們帶來些啥。其實啊，這些糖果或許只有一個作用，就是會讓他們變得更”甜“。

《個性與社會心理學》雜志的一篇研究顯示，喜歡甜食的人似乎會更加友善。人們總喜歡用與“味道”相關的詞語來描述一個的個性或者行為。比如“刻薄”，“尖酸”或者“小潑辣”。人們對味道的偏好真的能反映出個性嗎？科學家們在找尋“愛吃甜食”和“性格溫和甜美”之間的聯系。

他們邀請了一些學生參加測試，他們首先要回答關于自己性格特征一些問題：比如，是否心腸軟，是否喜歡辱罵他人。之后，要根據自己的喜好程度對一些食物進行打分，這些食物包括蛋糕，冰淇淋，越橘，泡菜和沙司。研究顯示，那些喜歡甜食的孩子會把自己看成是”小甜心“，或許他們真的是吧。那些喜歡糖果勝過薄脆餅的孩子更愿意參加校園周邊的志愿活動或者進行額外的研究。所以如果你想讓自己不那么友善，就戒掉一盤甜餅干吧。