When presented the task of discovering our temperament for Dr Tom Bishops lecture, I was eager to find out what a quick test could tell about my personality. Alas, I was disappointed to see the results shown below; an almost completely neutral temperament, right about in the middle of the four humors blood, yellow bile, black bile, and phlegm.
But what does all this have to do with food? Well to me, I thought that we each have our own certain food identity, however, that food identity is interchangeable and can really depend on the day, time, or occasion. For example, if I’m cooking at home, I’ll probably take the time to select healthy ingredients and make a decent meal, but in contrast, if I just want a quick bite at Uni, the Munchy Mart pies are a pretty safe bet.
This idea of changeability could then draws connections to the lovely phenomenon of mood swings which tie into our temperaments. So then perhaps, we each have our own food swings?
What I found interesting when answering this personality test was that many of the questions answered I felt I could have been at almost every end of the spectrum on any given day, so perhaps if I were to take this test again, I would see a completely different allocation of humours. So just like mood swings could affect this personality test, then certainly food swings are something we could be encountering every day?
Personality tests seem to always amuse me. Whether it is because I am curious or due to some tests resulting in marginal similarities to what I see in myself?
Following the results and questions of the temperament test, I found it interesting how just sixteen questions can categorise you into a ‘should not eat’ and ‘what you can thrive off’ grouping.
Analysing, how your humors lay almost neutral continues to add to my curiosity?
Are you, Blake, superhuman and can live the life your heart and mind desire? Or on this particular day, of the test your ‘mood and food swings’ dictated the answer?
Quietly, it would be entertaining to view the second round of your temperament results; unless you did truly cracked the code to the temperament test and are all four temperaments?
Food Swings! What an awesome idea. Hangry is the first food swing that comes to mind. A very real encounter between food and mood I think. I’ve often felt, like yourself, disappointed to see my middle ground personality test results. However, why is it that we see this as negative? Perhaps it is because being a middle ground personality placer means we are stable beings. We may not experience huge contrasting mood swings the same as someone who is absolutely one type of personality. However, it could also mean we are very adaptable too. We can draw on the multiple aspects of our personality dependant on the situation. Relating this to food with the idea of food swings is a brilliant concept. The food I eat daily is also vastly contrasting, dependent on the time and place, just like my personality.
I like the idea of the fluidity of mood and taste buds that you discuss here. Some days we feel like eating more sweet foods or spicy foods or whatever the case; our taste pallet can easily fluctuate as quickly as our mood.
However, we can also draw parallels with food and mood. After a cup or coffee or a packet of lollies, people typically become hyper, perhaps their mood improves and they are happier. After a cup of tea, it soothes a person’s nerves and calms them down.
So the question is, does our humour have any effect when all foods have the ability to swing our mood?
As a fellow almost neutral I can sympathise, where do I belong??
I can definitely relate to your idea about food swings, whether it’s a pie or chips I seem to eat a lot worse a at uni too!
Without food I find that my my mood swings to a dangerous level, I wonder where this fits in my status as a neutral. I thought everyone got hangry too!
Also if I am indeed a neutral why is it that can get strangely angry with a lack of food.. maybe it is that there are more than four personality types and that 16 questions will definitely not sum up ones personality.