Abstract
Why do some people crave intense, bold flavours, while others shy away from novelty? This chapter discusses the expanding role of psychographic profiling in sensory and consumer research, shedding light on how individual psychological differences shape the way we perceive, prefer and choose food. We examine the impact of the ‘Big Five’ personality dimensions, arousal-related traits, cognitive styles and motivational factors on food perception and choice. For instance, neuroticism is linked to heightened sensory sensitivity, often amplifying reactions to bitterness and astringency, while extraversion is associated with a preference for bold, novel flavours. Traits such as openness and extraversion encourage food exploration, whereas neuroticism contributes to avoidance behaviours. Additionally, cognitive, behavioural and motivational factors – such as sensation seeking, cognitive flexibility, self-control and trait cravings – further shape one's dietary habits and eating behaviours. Beyond merely explaining consumer variability, psychographic profiling offers powerful tools for predicting food acceptance, refining segmentation strategies and enhancing product development. This chapter also addresses the challenges of incorporating personality-based approaches into sensory research and calls for interdisciplinary collaboration to deepen our understanding of how psychological traits drive food-related decisions.