Gaby
We are what we eat: a new large-scale study from the University of Zurich makes that old saying feel more literal. The researchers found that dietary habits are linked to certain personality traits.
If you want to come across as friendlier and more pleasant, the team suggests trying a vegetarian or vegan diet.
On the other hand, if you tend to be more reserved, stubborn, or sometimes abrasive, the researchers say you might be more likely to be a meat-eater.
What the Researchers Discovered
The team conducted a meta-analysis of 17 studies examining personality traits in relation to eating habits. Approximately 70,000 participants from Germany, the United States, and New Zealand took part in those studies.
They used the “Big Five” personality questionnaire, which measures openness, agreeableness, neuroticism, extraversion, and conscientiousness. The “Big Five” is a widely used, scientifically validated personality framework.
Participants rated their agreement or disagreement with various statements about themselves on a scale from one to five. In total, there were around 50 statements, including examples like: “I feel comfortable around people,” and “I have a kind word for everyone.”
The researchers found that individuals who identify as vegans or vegetarians score higher on personality traits such as openness and agreeableness.
Openness scores were higher in vegans than in vegetarians, and vegans also scored higher on openness than omnivores. Agreeableness was higher in vegans than in omnivores, as reported by the Daily Mail.
The study did not find consistent links between neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, and dietary style. This means that the presence or absence of meat in one’s diet correlates mainly with traits like openness and agreeableness.
“We expected that more neurotic individuals would also be more likely to be vegetarians, but we did not find this,” noted Christopher Hopwood, a psychology professor and co-author of the study.
The team also suggested that women are more likely to choose a vegetarian diet, since women tend to score higher on agreeableness.
Additionally, psychologists believe that compassionate individuals who care about animals and the environment are more likely to become vegans and vegetarians than others.
The findings of the study were published in the journal Appetite.
