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Christmas is filled with meaningful experiences and traditions, which can create strong emotional connections in our brains. These memoires can be vivid and cause it to be more easier to recall. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that gives us a sense of pleasure and when we get excited about buying something can release dopamine. Christmas is a way to form memories with your family and is an opportunity to relax and catch up with loved ones. The scent of a specific Christmas candle, the tinsel or an upbeat Christmas song is what can recall our memories.

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"There are so many intricate psychologies, which we are not even aware of, when it comes to Christmas," says Gillian Fagan, founder of Acora Therapy in Lucan and chief executive officer of Under the Rainbow Therapy Centre in Dublin city centre. "It's presented as an opportunity to relax, catch up with loved ones, with social permission to treat ourselves, and yet so many of us get caught up in the hype, stress, and pressure of Christmas."

The popularity of social celebrations such as Christmas is partially credited to the psychology that sits behind these festivities and how the human mind interacts to the powers at play (of which there are many). The wafting scent of mulled wine, the sparkling tinsel and gentle but upbeat sultry tones of old Christmas tunes send us into a spasm of tradition, memory and expectations. So what is really behind Christmas and how does it so explicitly affect us in an emotional way?

Psychology of Buying

The dopamine hit of shopping is not just for Christmas but certainly has a way of being amplified as we find our way through a long and lingering Christmas wish list. "Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that gives us a sense of pleasure," says Fagan. "When we get excited about buying something, the perfect gift, finding the party outfit, imagining other people's reactions, we release dopamine. We want to feel pleasure and are more inclined to buy items we believe will boost our happiness. These decisions are more made on impulse though, influenced by the shopping environment and fuelled by the increase of dopamine in that moment."

Clever marketing has a way of increasing that dopamine hit with the promise of special offers, seasonal packaging and tapping into the "scarcity" theory with "a pressure to purchase".

"The heat of shops contrasting the cold outside, the smells, music, flashing Christmas lights and overcrowding overwhelm our cognitive processing, impacting our decision making," says Fagan. "Our brains don't think rationally when we are under stress. We are more likely to buy in a hurry without thinking a purchase through."

Psychology of Gift Giving

"A lot of pressure is put on us to find the perfect gift," says Fagan, an equality and inclusion trainer, psychotherapist, counsellor and psychological coach, "with data showing we spend more on other people than on ourselves at this time of year. Unconsciously 'the gift' reflects the type of relationship we have with the person and how important it is that they like us.

"Studies show that spending money on other people can make you happier than spending it on yourself. While spending money can lead to financial stress it can also boost happiness. It is important to know your financial limits when shopping this season. Research has shown that most of us prefer to receive a gift that took time and effort to source than one that cost a lot. It's the thought that counts more than the price tag."

Psychology of the Poker Face

For many of us, Christmas can be all consuming as we gather with friends or family we rarely see, unwelcome visitors, or relatives we have a strained relationship with. A gathering could result in simply trying to "grin and bear it". Unwelcome gifts and family stresses can make Christmas an awkward time, so we learn to adopt a poker face to hide our true feelings.

"There are those enlightened souls who radiate joy and gratitude regardless of the circumstances," says Joseph McGuire, body language and face reading expert. "It's manifested in the full Duchenne smile, where the corners of the mouth turn upwards, the eyes crinkle and sparkle, and the message is one of ease, happiness, and welcome."

At Christmas when our true feelings may remain hidden the "social smile" may take precedence. "The one where only the mouth responds but the eyes remain open," says McGuire. "The gaze is cold or glazed and we want the moment to be over. As approximately two thirds of our communication is non-verbal, this can lead to accusations of disinterest, coldness and contribute to already simmering tension.

"For the body language expert there is really no such thing as a poker face as every facial expression - or apparent lack thereof - is revealing. We consider the micro-expressions which appear fleetingly and reveal what someone is feeling in the moment. I strongly advise practising smiling on a daily basis long before Christmas arrives," says McGuire. "Smile at the cashier in the supermarket or when buying coffee. More than any other single expression or aspect of body language it conveys relaxation, friendship, appreciation and welcome. It also indicates that we are not a threat, and that is a reason to be grateful in these challenging times. A smile is not just for Christmas."

Psychology of Traditions

"While we are autonomous individuals with our own moods, experiences, and behaviours, we are social creatures," says Fagan. "We are members of groups that shape our cultures, beliefs, and traditions and provide us with psychological acceptance and belonging. This can make us feel under even more pressure to conform to the expectations of the Christmas period as our brain already has a script of our feelings and experiences from previous holidays."

We are creatures of habit and favour the familiar, especially in times of change, says Fagan. "Our brains automatically process the world around us, forming our cognitive biases," she says. "Remember all day every day our brains are constructing our emotional reality. This year we will potentially be even more nostalgic than we usually are at Christmas. The nostalgia of the traditions, same music, same movies, decorating and food calls out to us. We will always keep some of our traditions as letting them go feels like letting go of a part of our identity."

Psychology of Fomo

Social media has increased our fear of missing out (Fomo) which many of us experience at this time of year. "Fomo is the perception that other people are happier and having more fun than you," says Fagan. "It impacts self-esteem, leaving you with a sense of envy, feeling excluded and self-criticism when you compare your life to the highlights of someone else's social media persona. We all want to experience the 'true meaning of Christmas' which implies that there is an ideal that we have to conform to. Marketers sell this ideology to us well before Christmas. Just think of your favourite Christmas TV advertisement. It was created to psychologically impact your sense of nostalgia and to sell the magic of Christmas.

"Tune into how you are feeling to better manage the overwhelm, reduce your social media consumption to reduce comparative behaviours, remember gratitude comes from the thought rather than the price tag and remind yourself that it's okay to say no to some social invitations; look at where you can flip Fomo to Jomo, the joy of missing out."

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The psychology of Christmas: Why do the festivities impact us so deeply?

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From gift giving to perfecting a poker face, our minds interact closely with seasonal cues

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When we listen to music it can activate areas of the brain that is involved with the memory process. It causes us to improve our ability to remember certain events, emotions, or specific information. Songs and melodies can be compared to a sticky notes for our brains because it helps us remember important moments. Studies said that music not only helps us recall memories but also helps us form new ones. This is why music therapy can be valuable for dementia patients. Even when other memories fade, musical memories often stay in your brain. It's not a cure, but it improves their quality of life. And music doesn't just help with memory, it also can also cause your concentration to improve. Slow tempo, lyric-less, and repetitive music can boost focus and create a calm environment.

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So, what music genres or types are best for concentration and focus? While certain musical elements are better for focus (such as a lack of lyrics, which may distract you), the best focus music for you will be heavily dependent on your own preferences and work style. Experiment with different types of music to see which ones are most impactful for you. Here are a few suggestions to get started:

Classical music: Baroque classical music, like pieces from Bach or Handel, may improve accuracy and speed when performing tasks that require concentration.

Nature sounds: The sounds of flowing water, birds chirping, or leaves rustling can have a soothing effect, promoting concentration and reducing stress.

Ambient and electronic music: With minimal lyrics and a steady beat, this type of music can help create a rhythm for work.

Binaural beats: These sounds are said to induce the same mental state associated with meditation, making them an excellent choice for deep focus.

Music's relationship with our cognitive functions is a rich and exciting area of study, revealing music's potential to enhance our memory recall and aid in focus and concentration. Whether you're studying for an exam, working on a project, or simply reflecting on good memories, consider tuning into the powerful influence of music.

If you're interested in learning how to move people with your music, check out our composition course, or any of our wide range of music lessons for all ages! We offer outstanding music instruction and programs to students of all ages, interests, and skill levels at five campuses in the DC area. At each Levine campus, our students find a diverse range of musical activities, a supportive environment, and dedicated teachers to challenge their creative limits and to guide them. We also offer online learning!

Our music therapy program serves individuals of all ages and needs at each Levine campus and in the community through a variety of partnership programming. From classes focusing on healthy aging for older adults to individual sessions for children focusing on language development, our programming helps forge those powerful therapeutic connections between music, health, and wellbeing.

Here at Levine Music, our core values-excellence and opportunity-infuse everything we do. Learn more about our program areas and upcoming performances, and donate today to help us bring lifelong joy and inspiration through music!

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How Music Affects Memory and Concentration - Levine Music

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So, what music genres or types are best for concentration and focus? While certain musical elements are better for focus (such as a lack of lyrics, which may distract you), the best focus music for you will be heavily dependent on your own preferences and work style.

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As relationships cone out of the “honeymoon” phase a new set of neurotransmitters and hormones take over. Love can be divided into three main categories: lust, love, and attraction. Hormones such as estrogen and testosterone begin to rise when we come across a person we find interested in. Once you choose a romantic partner and label them as “attractive” the brain begins to release dopamine which is a neurotransmitter. The brain associates the attraction with an increase in dopamine. This biological process explains why we spend so much time with your loved one especially in the early stages of a new relationship. Attachment is connected and is known to release oxytocin which is another neurotransmitter. Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the “cuddle hormone” and is released in large quantities when bonding.

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For hundreds of years, humans have struggled to define "love." From Shakespearian tragedies to poetic declarations of desire, there are millions of ways to express the feelings of romantic love. While the above quote by Larry J. Young is not the most elegant description of love, it explains the biology behind love, and why we as humans are programmed to experience the joys and pains of romantic partnership.

According to a team of researchers at Rutgers University, romantic love can be divided into three main categories: lust, love, and attraction. Within each category are specific chemical reactions in the body, and these reactions influence what we socially define as love.

Let's start with lust. Frequently referred to as one of the "seven deadly sins" in Christianity, lust is the biological basis for reproduction and the evolution of the human species. Lust is driven by the evolutionary need for sexual reproduction and is one of the main reasons why so many species, humans included, spend a significant amount of energy and time pursuing a romantic interest. Hormones such as estrogen and testosterone begin to rise when we come across a person we find arousing. Think back on your first encounter with your significant other or a person you found attractive; perhaps your heart began to pound in your chest, your palms became clammy, and you stumbled over an awkward introduction. All these visceral responses to lust are a part of the normal, physiologic response to deeply engrained biological processes that have allowed humans as a species to flourish.

Closely related to lust is attraction. Attraction and lust are grouped into the same category in social and psychological definitions of love, but true attraction to another person originates in a different part of the brain with a unique set of neurotransmitter activity. Once we decide to pursue a romantic partner and label them as "attractive", the brain begins to release dopamine, a neurotransmitter. Dopamine is associated with the reward system in the brain, and produces feelings of euphoria, excitement, and pleasure. As we spend more time with our romantic interest, the brain associates the attraction with an increase in dopamine. This biological process explains why we often feel as though we must spend significant amounts of time with a romantic partner, especially in the early stages of a new relationship. Increased levels of dopamine are also associated with a reduction in appetite and sleep: essentially, this means you can be so in love that you cannot eat or sleep...

As relationships progress out of the initial "honeymoon" phase, a new set of neurotransmitters and hormones take over. This final category is defined by the idea of attachment and is a predominant factor in the stability of long-term relationships. While lust and attraction are associated with romantic love, attachment can also span into other types of love and relationships with family members and friends. Attachment is highly linked to the release of oxytocin, another neurotransmitter. Oxytocin is sometimes referred to as the "cuddle hormone" and is released in large quantities during activities of bonding (such as sex, holding a baby, and yes, cuddling). As romantic relationships mature and move past basic physical attraction and lust, deeper, more stable bonds begin to form.

From an evolutionary perspective, lust, attraction, and attachment are all means to a single end: reproduction and the advancement of the human species. Each of these categories play a key role in the overall goal of reproduction, but unfortunately, these raw scientific definitions of love just scratch the surface of the ups and downs everyone goes through on the journey to a long-term relationship. In reality, lust, attraction, and attachment can be broken down further and reveal deeper social and psychological needs, and as many Hollywood romance movies can attest, the pathway from lust to long-term attachment can be a difficult voyage.

The initial stages of lust seem simple: a gentle touch, lingering eye contact, or telling a friend about your new crush leads to a rush of dopamine that begin the spiral of "falling in love." From here, though, how the relationship progresses becomes increasingly complex. Fear of rejection, fear of commitment, or being overly needy are frequently called out as some of the main reasons why a relationship may not progress further. In many cases, psychological predispositions and past experience with various types of relationships can profoundly impact the bonds formed with a future romantic partner.

Research in this area tells us the initial bonds formed within a new romantic relationship are almost always influenced by the very first relationship we ever experience: the relationship with our parents. These early bonding experiences with our parents in infancy and toddlerhood shape how we perceive relationships and define what we view as a positive attachment. This Freudian approach to love and attachment may sound rudimentary, and many other researchers in the field argue that there are other explanations for the success of healthy attachment and how we define love. For example, a popular psychological theorist, Dr. Robert Sternberg, has proposed a whole new set of categories that define the stages of love. His initial work, published in 1986, presents the Triangular Theory of Love, which consists of intimacy, passion, and commitment. His love triangle (so to speak) is shown as the following model:

From this diagram, we can see the various combinations of different types of love, and how they are intertwined and related to one another. Unlike the pure biological basis of love described earlier, Dr. Sternberg presents the idea that love is a combination of different emotions that can occur simultaneously and is not only dictated by hormones and neurotransmitters. His ideas are rooted in the psychosocial construct of love, and he relies on the human need for social connection to describe various types of love.

The scientific definition of love and Dr. Sternberg's definition of love are both right in their own respects. Simply describing love from a biological perspective does not fully encapsulate the intricacies of relationships and describing love exclusively from a psychosocial point of view does not consider the hard-wired evolutionary programming all humans are born with. As with all complex human constructs, the true meaning love is likely a combination of both definitions presented. With a deeply engrained biological need for sexual reproduction driven by hormones, combined with the need for social attachment and companionship, humans are capable of deeply emotional, romantic bonds that are unrivaled by other species.

Perhaps this is why love stories are the focal point of tales told throughout generations and are highlighted in great literary works and screenplays. Love, and the idea of love, often dominate many aspects of life and the successes and failures in the search for everlasting affection and attachment. It is no surprise that many of life's greatest celebrations and deepest heartaches are born out of love.

Many often joke about the idea of Valentine's Day being a "Hallmark" holiday and just a way for people to spend unnecessary money or time on fancy gifts or acts of affection. However, Valentine's Day can also serve as a reminder to think about what love means to you. In your own relationships, whether romantic or otherwise, how do you define love? We would like to hear from you about what love means to you and continue to add on to the definitions presented here. Please feel free to share your thoughts on our website's blog page or reach out to us on social media!

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The Psychology (and Biology) of Love - Denver Psychotherapy Group

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"Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference."

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Why do people care so much about money? In the article specifically it talks about what the biological reason behind our strong desire for money. In the article it was broken down into two ways. First, money can be like a tool that helps us get things we need or want, kind of like using a tool to fix something. Money act like a fake reward, even though it doesn't give us the same benefits as natural rewards. It's kind of like how drugs can mess with our brains.

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Abstract

Why are people interested in money? Specifically, what could be the biological basis for the extraordinary incentive and reinforcing power of money, which seems to be unique to the human species? We identify two ways in which a commodity which is of no biological significance in itself can become a strong motivator. The first is if it is used as a tool, and by a metaphorical extension this is often applied to money: it is used instrumentally, in order to obtain biologically relevant incentives. Second, substances can be strong motivators because they imitate the action of natural incentives but do not produce the fitness gains for which those incentives are instinctively sought. The classic examples of this process are psychoactive drugs, but we argue that the drug concept can also be extended metaphorically to provide an account of money motivation. From a review of theoretical and empirical literature about money, we conclude that (i) there are a number of phenomena that cannot be accounted for by a pure Tool Theory of money motivation; (ii) supplementing Tool Theory with a Drug Theory enables the anomalous phenomena to be explained; and (iii) the human instincts that, according to a Drug Theory, money parasitizes include trading (derived from reciprocal altruism) and object play.

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national center for biotechnology information

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Money as tool, money as drug: the biological psychology of a strong incentive - PubMed

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Why are people interested in money? Specifically, what could be the biological basis for the extraordinary incentive and reinforcing power of money, which seems to be unique to the human species? We identify two ways in which a commodity which is of no biological significance in itself can become a ...

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In a study, researchers used an algorithm to predict personality traits using just Facebook likes. The more likes the more accurate the predictions became. Another study found that certain personalities like "extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness could be accurately inferred from smartphone use." In the article agreeableness and emotional stability are the ones that are hard to determine. The article analyzes smartphone usage patterns like app usage and communication behavior. researchers predicted 57% of personality traits and according to the that percentage it is very accurate. Some traits were easier to predict than others like "sociableness" being the most predictable and "good naturedness" being the least predictable.

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Psychologists are getting exceedingly good at predicting someone's personality from their online behavior. In a 2015 study, researchers from the University of Cambridge and Stanford University designed an algorithm to predict personality traits using no more than a record of someone's Facebook likes. With 10 likes, the algorithm was about as accurate as a coworker. With 70 likes, it was as accurate as a friend. With 300 likes, it was more accurate than a spouse.

New research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences pushes this idea even further. A team of data-savvy psychologists found that three of the Big Five personality dimensions - extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness to experiences - could be accurately inferred from people's smartphone use. The other two dimensions of the Big Five - agreeableness and emotional stability - remain hidden from view, at least for now.

"We assessed personality in terms of the Big Five dimensions, the most widely used and well-established system in psychological science for organizing personality traits," said the researchers, led by Clemens Stachl of Stanford University. "This taxonomy describes human personality in terms of five broad and relatively stable dimensions: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and emotional stability, with each dimension subsuming a larger number of more specific facets."

Using the Big Five as a starting point, the scientists examined whether people's smartphone usage patterns - such as their app usage, communication and social behavior, music consumption, mobility behaviors, overall phone activity, and daytime and nighttime phone activity - could be used to accurately predict their personality traits. They found that they were. To be exact, the researchers accurately predicted 57% of personality traits from behavioral patterns derived from people's cellphone data.

Some personality traits were easier to predict than others. The researchers found "sociableness" to be the most predictable trait and "good naturedness" to be the least predictable trait. Other personality traits that were highly predictable from the cellphone data were "love of order," " assertiveness," "sense of duty," and "self-consciousness."

Which behavioral patterns were most effective at predicting the various dimensions of personality? Among the three predictable dimensions of the Big Five personality taxonomy, the number of nightly calls was the best predictor of extraversion, the use of the weather app in the evening was the best predictor of conscientiousness, and the length of one's text messages was the best predictor of openness.

The researchers are quick to point out the privacy concerns raised by this research. They state, "We should not underestimate the potential negative consequences of the routine collection, modeling, and uncontrolled trade of personal smartphone data. For example, organizations and companies can obtain information about individuals' private traits (e.g., the Big Five personality traits), without the personality information ever being deliberately provided or explicitly requested. Mounting evidence suggests that these data can and are being used for psychological targeting to influence people's actions, including purchasing decisions and potentially voting behaviors, which are related to personality traits."

Privacy concerns notwithstanding, the researchers also note the benefits of their approach: "On the positive side, obtaining behavior-based estimates of personality stands to open additional avenues of research on the causes and consequences of personality traits, as well as permitting consequential decisions (e.g., in personnel selection) to draw on behavioral data rather than estimates derived from self-report questionnaires, which are subject to a range of biases."

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Beware: Your Phone Data Says a Lot About Your Personality

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New research explores the relationship between personality and smartphone use.

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Makeup can go beyond changing a females attractiveness. it also influences ability to form new relationships. Men consider a woman's makeup when judging her attractiveness but women use makeup to assess other women's personalities. Researchers say that women see other women who wear makeup as more dominant which can make women also tend to feel more jealous of other women wearing makeup. Wearing makeup can also make women bond faster with other women who wear similar makeup to their own. Makeup is one of the characteristics women look for when forming friendships because it reveals their values and desires.

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Makeup does more than alter a woman's attractiveness, it also plays a role in her ability to form new relationships. While straight men look at a woman's makeup or lack thereof to help determine her attractiveness, straight women use makeup to help judge other women's personalities.

Research has discovered three key findings about how straight women perceive each other's makeup:

1. Women rate other women who wear makeup as more dominant. This perception that women who wear makeup are more powerful plays a role in why makeup is important to help women have successful careers.

2. Women are more jealous of other women wearing makeup and perceive them as more promiscuous. This is particularly the case when women wear bold, sexy makeup, such as eye shadow and dark/bright lipstick.

Women bond faster with other women who wear makeup that is similar to what they themselves wear. We're naturally drawn to people who are like us. So, it's no surprise that makeup is one of the characteristics women look for in determining who to form friendships with. If you think about it, makeup says a lot about women, such as how much they value beauty, how much attention they desire, etc.

Men, on the other hand, tend to have varied opinions of women based on how much makeup she wears and how attractive that makes her appear. One woman discovered this when she did a social experiment to find out how men react differently toward her depending on her makeup levels. To test this, she created three Tinder profiles with three levels of makeup, ranging from natural to glamorous.

Check out the video to hear about the full experiment:

The three findings from this video that I want to highlight:

1. The account with bare-faced makeup received the most friendly-not flirtatious-replies. Men appeared to see her as a potential new buddy as opposed to a sexually-attractive partner.

2. The account with an average amount of makeup received the most flirty replies and request for dates.

3. The account with the glam makeup gave men the impression that she was looking for easy hookups.

If you're single, consider these findings when you present yourself on online dating and in any other settings you use to find dates.

Source: scienceofpeople.com

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How the Social Psychology of Makeup Affects Your Relationships

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Makeup does more than alter a woman's attractiveness, it also plays a role in her ability to form new relationships. While straight men look at a woman's makeup or lack thereof to help determine her attractiveness, straight women use makeup to help judge other women's personalities.

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In a study from 2018, researchers looked at people's music related Facebook likes and found that musical preferences can predict certain personality traits. They focused on the Big Five personality traits which is openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. They said that individuals with higher openness enjoy complex genres like classical, opera, and jazz. These individuals are also less into mellow and contemporary music. People who are open to new experiences are more likely to enjoy classical and jazz, but less likely to like R&B and electronic music. It doesn't really matter where you are, music and personality go hand in hand.

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Do you enjoy relaxing to classical music, or bopping along to hard rock? The music you love might say something about your personality, and vice versa.

We have all different tastes in music. Some people believe that the genres you're most drawn to might say a lot about your personality.

Instead of turning to the zodiac to see if you're compatible with someone, could your music preferences determine if your personality matches up with someone else's?

Have you ever noticed that you enjoy listening to the same type of music as your friends? Evidence suggests it's not a coincidence.

You may be able to look at someone's Spotify favorites and get a glimpse of their personality. Or, you might be able to figure out what music they're into based on their personality traits.

What does the research say?

A 2018 study looked at people's music-related Facebook likes and music listening habits. The researchers found that the participants' musical preferences predicted some personality traits.

The researchers looked at how people's musical tastes compared with their personality based on the Big Five personality traits:

openness to experience

conscientiousness, or how responsible, reliable, and self-controlled you are

extraversion, ranging from outgoing to introverted

agreeableness, or how friendly you are

neuroticism, a measure of how nervous or sensitive you are

The researchers showed that people with higher openness were more likely to enjoy sophisticated music (complex, dynamic genres like classical, opera, and jazz), and to dislike mellow music (slow, relaxing genres like R&B and soft rock) and contemporary music (rap, electronic, dance, Europop and Latin).

This suggests that people whose personalities make them more open to new experiences are more likely to enjoy classical music and jazz, but less likely to enjoy R&B and electronic music.

People who scored higher in trait extraversion were more likely to have a preference for "unpretentious" music. This included relaxing acoustic music, like country and folk genres.

Meanwhile, higher agreeableness was linked with a general liking of music.

Further to this, a 2022 study analyzed the musical preferences of over 350,000 people in more than 50 countries and six continents and found the link between musical preference and personality to be universal. That means music and personality are intertwined, no matter where you live.

The researchers found that people with higher extraversion had stronger reactions to upbeat, rhythmic, and electronic music. They also found that people with higher openness preferred sophisticated music, such as improvisational and instrumental tracks.

In , researchers developed a five-factor model to explain musical preferences. They say that people may fall into one of the following "MUSIC" categories based on their musical preferences:

Mellow: smooth and relaxing music.

Urban: rhythm and percussion music, such as rap and funk.

Sophisticated: complex and inspirational music, such as classical and jazz.

Intense: loud, energetic music, including heavy metal and punk.

Campestral: a mix of styles, including country and singer-songwriter music .

Personality traits alone don't account for musical preferences, though. An older 2010 study involving data from over 36,000 participants suggests other factors also play a role in musical taste, including:

Which of these main types would you fit into? Does your personality type match up with your favorite genre of music?

Do you feel like your personality matches the type of music you listen to? Several studies suggest there may be an association between music preferences and personality.

But, your personality isn't the only thing that influences your music choice. Your age, gender, self-esteem, and even how much your earn may also play a role in influencing your musical tastes.

If you want to find out about your personality type, consider Psych Central's Personality Test.

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Music Taste and Personality: Are They Related?

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Could your Spotify playlist give others insight into your personality? Find out about the link between personality and musical taste.

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In this article it talks about something called food choice and nutrition which is a social psychological perspective, and it focuses on three main themes. The first theme talks about the social and environmental influences on food choice. Studies have found that intentions, perceived behavioral control and confidence can play a role in healthy eating. To promote healthy eating people should address barriers and boost peoples confidence by consuming a healthy diet. Some groups of individuals show a higher frequency of consuming fast food or struggle with food cravings and lack of control.