Oscar Wilde said the sign of an intelligent person was a broad forehead.

Today, however, a broad forehead may denote signs of psychopathy, according to new research.

It The research goes on to suggest that a penchant for dark chocolate and black coffee further indicates psychopathic tendencies.

The study, undertaken by researchers from the University of Innsbruck in Austria, found that a preference for bitter foods was linked to dark personalities.

People who liked coffee, dark chocolate, radishes and tonic water were more likely to exhibit signs of Machiavellianism, psychopathy and narcissism. In the study, 953 adults, with an average age of 35, were asked to complete a personality test as well as asking how much they enjoyed certain tastes, including sweet, salty, sour and bitter.

Questions included ‘I tend to manipulate others to get my way’, ‘I tend to be callous or insensitive’ and ‘I tend to want others to pay attention to me.’ Questions about everyday sadism included: ‘When making fun of someone, it is especially amusing if they realise what I’m doing’, and ‘I enjoy tormenting people.’ Researchers said: ‘This is the first empirical evidence that bitter taste preferences are linked to malevolent personality traits.

‘The results suggest that how much people like bitter-tasting foods and drinks is stably tied to how dark their personality is.’ Cognitive behavioural therapist Sabia Qureshi said: “I had to laugh when I read this research. With my job, my remit is to help people. Yet at the same time I am an avid black coffee drinker and I love my Green & Black’s! This research doesn’t bode well for me!

“I wonder what researchers would say about people who eat rice with ketchup? Or those who eat naan with a knife and fork?

“I’d prefer to take this research with a pinch of salt, otherwise I’ll spend all my time over-analysing myself!”