Journal of Student Research 2019

Journal of Student Research

163 Why Do You Taste So Ugly: Examination of Flavor on Perceived Attractiveness experiencing a bitter flavor, in comparison to a neutral flavor, participants were less aroused when looking at images of foods with higher caloric value (in comparison to vegetables). Specifically, participants visually perceived the food pictures as less arousing due to the interfering influence of their sense of taste. Other senses and external forces have also been found to impact visual and relational perceptions, such as how one views another person (Cook et al., 2017; Demattè et al., 2007; Foster, 2008; Ren et al., 2015). For example, scent has been found to influence perceptions of attractiveness and facial pleasantness (Cook et al., 2017; Demattè et al., 2007; Foster, 2008). Foster (2008) found that for fertile women, ratings of a man’s body odor were significantly predictive of their attractiveness; however, the olfactory ratings were less predictive than visual ratings of their photographs. Additionally, Demattè and colleagues (2007) discovered that pleasant (geranium and male fragrance) and unpleasant (rubber and body odor) scents significantly impacted attractiveness ratings of male faces when rated by women. When paired with an unpleasant scent, the faces were rated as less attractive than when paired with either a pleasant or neutral scent (Demattè et al., 2007). Particularly, this shows that while a bad scent can lead to decreased ratings of attractiveness, a good scent does not necessarily lead to increased ratings of attractiveness. In another study, however, Cook and colleagues (2017) found that pairing desirable scents with images of faces did result in higher ratings of facial attractiveness. Specifically, they found that when exposed to a pleasant scent, jasmine, participants rated happy and disgusted faces as significantly more pleasant than when exposed to a neutral, clean air scent, or when exposed to Methylmercaptan, an unpleasant, rotten cabbage, scent. This suggests that simply experiencing an odor is sufficient to influence our aesthetic perception of others. Interestingly, it was also discovered that the expression of the face evaluated (happy or disgusted) influenced how participants rated the intensity of the scent they experienced (Cook et al., 2017). Specifically, in regard to Methylmercaptan, when paired with disgusted faces, the scent was evaluated as more intense, which in this scenario is worse (Cook et al., 2017). The findings of this study are yet another demonstration of how what one perceives is the result of an amalgamation of the sensations they experience. Similarly, Ren and colleagues (2015) found that sweet flavors, relative to neutral flavors, resulted in increased romantic interest in others (with or without a photo). Participants, also expressed greater willingness and more positive expectations regarding a hypothetical relationship with another person, suggesting that perceptions of flavor may have broader social implications for when and with whom we choose to form relationships with. Overall, what can be gathered from existing research is that our sensations influence our perception and that, in certain situations, they can change how we view another person visually and relationally. However, current research is lacking on the specific connection between one’s experience of flavor and their visual perception of

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Why Do You Taste So Ugly: Examination of Flavor on Perceived Attractiveness Flavor means more than how something tastes, as evidenced by the use of flavor words in the English language. It is common for words such as honey and sugar, denoting a pleasant flavor, to be used by romantic partners as terms of endearment (Ren, Tan, Arriaga, & Chan, 2015). Previous researchers have also found that flavor and taste have the ability to impact other sense perceptions, such as smell and touch (Cook et al., 2017; Mony et al., 2012). However, can it affect how we perceive potential partners visually as well? Our senses unknowingly alter our perceptions of the world every day, including influencing our experience with food. For example, research examining the impact of temperature of water on the perception and acceptance of food discovered that water served at a lower temperature (4° C) significantly affects one’s perception of chocolate (Mony et al., 2012). Specifically, drinking colder water decreased perception of chocolate’s sweetness and creaminess, and correlated with lower hedonic pleasantness ratings. Mony and colleagues (2012) speculate that the North American preference for cold water with their meals may contribute to the heightened preference for sweetened foods: to achieve a pleasurable hedonic experience in conjunction with cold water. As such, food would need to be sweeter to be enjoyed, than if one was not drinking cold water. This affects individuals and food companies alike on a daily basis. Similarly, Van der Wal and Van Dillen (2013) noted that when one is not allocating their full attention to eating and drinking, their sensory experience is dulled. Their research analyzed the impact of task load on taste perception, finding that those with larger task loads (e.g., multitasking) perceived water and grenadine solutions as less sweet than those with smaller task loads. This research offers an additional explanation for why busy Americans prefer highly sweetened foods, while also emphasizing how one’s taste can be impacted by external forces (Van der Wal & Van Dillen, 2013). Even the music one hears can change their hedonic experiences. For example, Kantono and colleagues (2016) found that participants gave higher ratings of pleasantness for gelati while listening to music they liked, relative to those who rated gelati while listening to neutral or disliked music. This further demonstrates the complexities of the connections between our senses and the perceptions that result. Additionally, the visual presentation of one’s meal can influence one’s liking of the food (Zellner, Roos, Zearfoos, & Remolina, 2014). Specifically, Zellner and colleagues (2014) found that when presented with the same meal, participants liked the food more if it was served in an aesthetically pleasing arrangement. What one sees can change what one tastes, but can what one tastes impact what one sees? Interestingly, our taste preferences can also, in turn, impact our visual perception. Schwab, Giraldo, Spiegl, and Schienle (2017) found that when

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