Food neophobia is regarded as the reluctance to eat, or the avoidance of new foods (Knaapila, 2007). In the ‘Development of a scale to measure the Trait of Food Neophobia in Humans’ (Pliner and Hobden, 1992) explore and research food neophobia, using behavioural validation studies in laboratory food selection situations. They did this by using a paper and pencil measure of trait of food neophobia. To fully justify their study it was critical to use content and construct validity in order to reinforce their findings. Construct validity refers to “validating” your constructs based on their pattern of correlations with other variables assumed to be indicators of or theoretically related to the construct of interest (Edwin, 2011). Pliner and Hobden …show more content…
This scale was created by using 27 students to whom food neophobia was informally described to. This enabled them to conclude that participants with high levels of neophobia were less likely to experience novel foods. From this scale, Pliner and Hobden also concluded that food neophobia was strongly correlated to general neophobia. Content validity also played a crucial role in this study as it enabled Pliner and Hobden to confirm how accurate their means of measuring food neophobia was. A large number of undergraduates participated in this study, which increased the level of content validity. In order to validate the Food Neophobia Scale (FNS) the participants were then shown an array of foods from a list of novel and familiar foods and were asked about their willingness to try the unknown foods. Strong correlations were found between reluctance to try novel foods and high levels of food …show more content…
Similarly, those who showed reluctance to unfamiliar situations also ranked higher in neophobia. Also it was found that adults were more willing to try novel foods than their younger counterparts. From this, it has been concluded that pre-exposure to food neophobia may reduce its levels as it decreases anxiety within a participant because they become more relaxed when faced with the prospect of trying something unfamiliar.
Evaluation of author’s interpretation One of the key conclusions that Pliner and Hobden formulated was that subjects who were exposed to a neophilic scale before the study was carried out were shown to have a much lower level in neophobia than those who weren’t exposed to the scale. However, it was also found that some participants who were found to be highly neophobic were unaffected by this exposure. From this, it can be deducted that early exposure to neophilic scales may not affect every subject, as the levels of neophobia varies from subject to subject. Further research into this result may discover how other variables affect inherited
Pollan points out how in 2002, almost overnight, Americans developed a “carbophobia.” While previously, red meat had been the food to avoid, bread and pasta took over that roll with the sudden resurgence of the Atkins diet.
Omnivores are very interesting creatures. We are able to digest most plants and animals and therefore have a wide range of food available to us. However, when faced with new potential foods we are “torn between two conflicting emotions” (Pollan 288). These two emotions are neophilia and neophobia. Pollan defines neophilia as “a risky but necessary openness to new tastes” (288) and neophobia as “a sensible fear of ingesting anything new” (288). These two emotions are easily seen in humans, especially myself. Whenever I am introduced to a new food I immediately feel both of these. I am very tempted to try the new food since it might taste good, but on the other hand it may not taste good and may even give me a stomach-ache or food poisoning. The final decision when trying a new food usually depends on how it looks. In Rozin’s studies, he observed these two emotions in rats. The rats would nibble on the new food and wait to see if it affected them negatively, learning not to eat it if it hurt them. Pollan believed that Rozi...
Environmental advocate and cofounder of Eatingliberally.org, Kerry Trueman, in her response to Stephen Budiansky’s Math Lessons for Locavores, titled, The Myth of the Rabid Locavore, originally published in the Huffington Post, addresses the topic of different ways of purchasing food and its impact on the world. In her response, she argues that Budiansky portrayal of the Local Food Movement is very inaccurate and that individuals should be more environmentally conscious. Trueman supports her claim first by using strong diction towards different aspects of Budinsky essay, second by emphasizes the extent to which his reasoning falls flat, and lastly by explaining her own point with the use of proper timing. More specifically, she criticizes many
In “Food as Thought: Resisting the Moralization of Eating” by, Mary Maxfield (pp.442-447), she affirms a bright argument about how food is not moral or immoral. Therefore, you can eat whatever you desire and not suffer any negative side effects, which she ignores. Her key points including stated facts such as “Culturally,we resist these scientific findings,” that people can be fat and healthy, “in favor of a perspective that considers fatness fatal and thinness immortal.”(pp.445) The main point to Maxfield’s claim in healthy eating, is being active and living a fit lifestyle. In “Escape From The Western Diet” (pp.420-427)by Michael Pollan, his argument is to help the American community be enlightened with
Nutritionism and Today’s Diet Nutritionism is the ideology that the nutritional value of a food is the sum of all its individual nutrients, vitamins, and other components. In the book, “In Defense of Food” by Michael Pollan, he critiques scientists and government recommendations about their nutritional advice. Pollan presents a strong case pointing out the many flaws and problems that have risen over the years of following scientific studies and government related warnings on the proper amount of nutrients needed for a healthy diet. Pollan’s main point is introducing science into our food system has had more of a negative impact than a positive one, we should go back to eating more of a traditional diet. I believe food science has given us
Of these, the majority of individuals fell between twenty-one to forty years of age. Approximately half of the participants were shown four meals online that included only relatively unhealthy items, while the others were shown the same series of meals with a healthy option also pictured. With each change, the participants were asked to give a quantitative estimate of calories in the pictured meal. Once values had been placed on each of the items, participants were asked to provide how concerned with their weight they were on a 1-5 Likert-type rating scale. In addition to these participants, one group of eighty individuals was enlisted to evaluate the calorie count of only the healthy items on their own, while another group of one-hundred eighty-nine individuals were shown the same combination, but asked only to evaluate the unhealthy
Two psychological approaches/perspectives with reference to the critical issues of eating disorders to be discussed are the cognitive and psychodynamic approaches. There are several eating disorders and the most common two of them are Anorexia Nervosa involving the irrational fear of being extensively overweight and Bulimia Nervosa involving periods of binge eating when food is excessively eaten within a two hour period than would normally be eaten in that time. This paper will seek to understand and describe cognitive and psychodynamic approaches whilst also comparing and contrasting the differences between the two.
...3). Satiation from Sensory Simulation: Evaluating Foods Decreases Enjoyment of Similar Foods. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 24(2), 188-194. doi: 10.1016/j.jcps.2013.09.001
The pilot study I conducted at Highpoint Shopping Centre allowed me to observe how food choices were made amongst different people. There are many factors that influence food choices. Therefore I conducted this observation to develop into food choices. Some factors involved gender differences, this effected the food choice and the process of eating, how the effect of age plays part in choosing food, along with which cultures foods were eaten most; Chinese, Turkish, or Italian. I also observed whether culture had an effect on food choices? What these people were wearing? How long it took for them to decide on what they were going to eat? Does the time of the day and the days of the week have an effect on the selection and amount of food eaten? And how the food is eaten? Children and how their food selection is analysed?
Social media does not help in this situation either. America’s trending apps and media such as Instagram and Snapchat encourages others to try the food that they have. These social networks make it easier for others to share pictures that glamorize very unhealthy food that might seem appealing but have a harmful effect on the body. Studies show that social norms highly impact the individual’s decision whether they are with friends or not. The study conducted by Dr.Robinson, PhD, of the University of Liverpool, concluded the environment plays a huge role in the trend. He saw that that people are more willing to eat the types of foods that others choose and the portions that they choose because social identity is guided by its community. If the community were to eat unhealthy foods then the person would eat unhealthy foods but if the community eats healthier then the person would eat healthier to maintain a consistent sense of social identity (Robinson). Community influences play a huge role all over the world and has the same effect on its i...
In the United States, over three million people are diagnosed with food allergies every year, and over 50 million people have an allergy to some type of food. This number includes one in every 13 children. Most people are born with their allergies; however, allergies can develop at any age, and that is what happened to me. I developed an allergy when I was 14 years old. It was then that some troubling and deleterious side effects started happening to me. When people develop food allergies, their immune systems overreact to normally harmless food proteins. (foodallergy.org). These attacks can affect people in a multitude of ways; they can cause hives, difficulty in breathing, stomach aches, and many more symptoms.
I did not realize I had a taste aversion until I read chapter 7 in Exploring Psychology starting on page 257. Taste aversion is explained as becoming violently ill after eating, tasting or drinking a consumable item
Learning to eat differently is no easy task for, especially when someone has eaten the same foods their whole life. It is even harder when the food you are transitioning to is not that appetizing. My uncle was now part of what author Michael Pollan calls the “omnivore’s dilemma.” My uncle knew he needed to eat healthy, but was left w...
“Would You Eat Breast Milk Cheese?” (Hamm, 2010). I have shown this headline to multiple people and have received the same reaction from everyone. Most of these people I work with at a daycare. We all handle and serve breast milk on a daily basis. Also we watch mothers nurse their infants. Yet, the reaction did not surprise me, even with this comfort level with human breast milk. This reaction falls along the line of disgust and shock. One person even reacted with a sharp reply of “I DID NOT NEED TO SEE THAT!” There is something about the thought of consuming human breast milk that makes people squirm.
The amount of stories of inadequate foods people have consumed with sickness or even death as a result is astonishing. Having a bad experience such as getting sick after eating something would certainly create a negative thought about that food, causing one to avoid it in the future. Another common reason for not eating certain foods is for the lack of nutrients contained. There are very few foods that I don’t eat because of bad experiences; therefore, most of the foods I avoid are a result of the small amount of nutrients contained in those foods.