Abstract

Given that we use taste-related metaphors to describe individuals, might basic gustatory sensations actually influence our judgments of others? Fifty-five undergraduates sampled otherwise identical sweet or sour beverages and rated hypothetical individuals on various personality dimensions. Taste influenced judgments on composite personality measures and ratings of individual personality traits: participants sampling a sweet beverage rated an individual's personality sweeter than those sampling a sour beverage, with larger differences generally observed for traits more strongly associated with the sweet-sour metaphor. Our impressions of others (and their impressions of us) depend not only on actions and utterances, then, but also on other superficially unrelated (yet metaphorically meaningful) sensory experiences such as the taste of a beverage recently consumed - a finding with potentially important implications for social interactions, impression management, and related decisions.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.