Study: Organic food turns people into jerks

Ever feel judged when you bring some non-organic, foreign-grown, out-of-season melon to a potluck, or forget your reusable bag?

Msnbc has this funny anecdote from a woman trying to buy a fruit platter from a snobby organic produce guy in Seattle:

And he was like, ‘If you want fruit platters, go to Safeway. We’re organic.’ I finally bought a small cake and some strawberries and then at the check stand, the guy was like ‘You didn’t bring your own bag? I need to charge you if you didn’t bring your own bag.’ It was like a ‘Portlandia’ skit. They were so snotty and arrogant.

Her story underscored a new study that found that exposure to organic foods correlated with higher levels of self-righteousness. Researchers at Loyola University in New Orleans divided people into groups, and showed people organic foods and others at non-organic and comfort foods.

Test subjects were later surveyed on moral situations and how much time they would volunteer to help a needy stranger.

The organic group was more judgmental and less likely to help out, researchers found. The study was published this week in the journal Social Psychological & Personality Science.