TY - JOUR
T1 - Gender differences in the influence of personality traits on spicy food liking and intake
AU - Byrnes, Nadia K.
AU - Hayes, John E.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by a National Institute of Health grant [ DC010904 ] from the National Institute National of Deafness and Communication Disorders to the corresponding author, and United States Department of Agriculture Hatch Project PEN04332 funds.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2015 Elsevier Ltd.
PY - 2015/6/1
Y1 - 2015/6/1
N2 - It has been proposed, and only minimally explored, that personality factors may play a role in determining an individual's sensitivity to and preference for capsaicin containing foods. We explored these relationships further here. Participants rated a number of foods and sensations on a generalized liking scale in a laboratory setting; after leaving the laboratory, they filled out an online personality survey, which included Arnett's Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS) and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ). Recently, we reported strong and moderate correlations between the liking of a spicy meal and the personality constructs of Sensation Seeking (AISS) and Sensitivity to Reward (SPSRQ), respectively. Here, we use moderation models to explore the relationships between personality traits, perceived intensity of the burn of capsaicin, and the liking and consumption of spicy foods. Limited evidence of moderation was observed; however differential effects of the personality traits were seen in men versus women. In men, Sensitivity to Reward associated more strongly with liking and consumption of spicy foods, while in women, Sensation Seeking associated more strongly with liking and intake of spicy foods. These differences suggest that in men and women, there may be divergent mechanisms leading to the intake of spicy foods; specifically, men may respond more to extrinsic factors, while women may respond more to intrinsic factors.
AB - It has been proposed, and only minimally explored, that personality factors may play a role in determining an individual's sensitivity to and preference for capsaicin containing foods. We explored these relationships further here. Participants rated a number of foods and sensations on a generalized liking scale in a laboratory setting; after leaving the laboratory, they filled out an online personality survey, which included Arnett's Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS) and the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire (SPSRQ). Recently, we reported strong and moderate correlations between the liking of a spicy meal and the personality constructs of Sensation Seeking (AISS) and Sensitivity to Reward (SPSRQ), respectively. Here, we use moderation models to explore the relationships between personality traits, perceived intensity of the burn of capsaicin, and the liking and consumption of spicy foods. Limited evidence of moderation was observed; however differential effects of the personality traits were seen in men versus women. In men, Sensitivity to Reward associated more strongly with liking and consumption of spicy foods, while in women, Sensation Seeking associated more strongly with liking and intake of spicy foods. These differences suggest that in men and women, there may be divergent mechanisms leading to the intake of spicy foods; specifically, men may respond more to extrinsic factors, while women may respond more to intrinsic factors.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2015.01.002
DO - 10.1016/j.foodqual.2015.01.002
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84921477409
SN - 0950-3293
VL - 42
SP - 12
EP - 19
JO - Food Quality and Preference
JF - Food Quality and Preference
ER -