An intriguing new study from the University of Colorado indicates that warm drinks lend themselves to more friendly feelings. Participants in the study were randomly given hot cups of coffee or glasses of iced coffee, then asked to assess the relative warmth of a series of fictional characters. The result was that they were 11% more likely to rate a complete stranger as welcoming or trustworthy if the participant had been holding a warm beverage versus a cold beverage. Psychologists attribute this to possible early conditioning in infancy, when bonding and trust building with our parents could have been in an environment of warm bodily temperature -- just think of all those baby blankets! -- so that we are more likely to associate the actual physical temperature with the relative warmth and openness of someone's personality. Whatever the root cause, it's clear that the age old practice of socializing over a hot cup of coffee helps build and expand on the warm bonds of friendship -- so why not invite your friends (or someone new) over for an espresso today?
Health Watch: Coffee & Relationships
Kat is a passionate coffee enthusiast and seasoned blogger. Read her posts for insights on brew methods, coffee recipes, and machine reviews.
