In what could be the strangest research study you’ll read today, volunteers at the City University of New York were each given surveys to test their ‘moral compass’ in a variety of odd questions, including that old humdinger: sleeping with your second cousin.
At various intervals in the survey, respondents were given one of three beverages – bitter, sweet and water.
According to New Scientist, which reported the study:
“Those who drank bitter drinks were much harsher in their judgements than those who drank water, giving scenarios a score that was on average 27 per cent higher.”
In addition, bitter tastes were more likely to impact conservatives and right-wingers than lefties. Oddly enough, I always thought coffee drinkers became jerks when they didn’t get their regular caffeine fix. Now it’s safe to blame the coffee.
[via New Scientist and SAGE]