Personality, Food Perception and Preferences

This chapter explores the intricate relationship between personality traits, food perception, and food preferences, integrating insights from psychology, sensory science, and nutrition. It reviews both classic and contemporary research, highlighting how personality traits such as neuroticism, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, sensitivity to disgust, to punishment and reward, and food-specific traits like neophobia shape individual differences in sensory perception, hedonic responses, and eating behaviors. Evidence is presented showing that personality influences not only food liking and intake but also responsiveness to tastes (sweetness, salty, bitterness, sourness, fat) and pungency. The chapter further discusses how personality can act as both a facilitator and a barrier to healthier food behaviors, and emphasizes the bidirectional relationship between diet and personality. Finally, it considers the implications of these findings for designing “personalized” nutrition interventions and consumer-centered food innovation. By integrating psychological dimensions into sensory and nutritional sciences, the chapter underscores the importance of personality-driven strategies in promoting healthier diets and developing innovative, tailored-made food products.