Breakfast meals and emotions: Implicit and explicit assessment of the visual experience

Abstract

AbstractUnderstanding implicit (unconscious) emotions and motivational behavior tendencies may provide further information for better understanding consumer response to food. Videos (n = 8) of breakfast meals were presented to participants (n = 40) with concurrent measurement of motor expression (automated facial expression analysis; AFEA), neurologic activity (electroencephalography; EEG), and physiologic activity (electrocardiography; ECG) as indicators of implicit responses. Explicit responses (overall acceptability, check‐all‐that‐apply emotion term list) were assessed following each video presentation. The withdrawal emotion, disgust, was significantly chosen more for videos less liked, while approach emotions, good and happy were significantly chosen for videos liked more (p < .05). Acceptability was significantly different (p < .05) across meal types. Differences were observed in AFEA between a control (calming, positive beach scene video) and the breakfast meal videos. ECG and EEG supported explicit responses. Using only visual stimuli, implicit and explicit responses differed in response to breakfast meals, enhancing understanding of emotional and behavior tendencies to foods. Challenges with assessing implicit emotional responses necessitates further research in defining appropriate controls, standard methodologies and data interpretation procedures.Practical applicationsIn this study, we illustrated that the visual sense alone is sufficient to influence differences among acceptable food products and influence motivational behavior tendencies. Interpretation of “liked” foods using facial expression, as an indication of emotion, brain (frontal lobe) activity, as an indication of motivational behavioral tendencies, and heart rate, as an indication of arousal, is advanced through this study. This information can be applied in recognizing the input of visual information in creating an approach or withdrawal connection to a food, meal or non‐food consumable product. Appearance, such as influenced by packaging and lighting in retail supermarkets and presentation of meals in foodservice operations, may influence underlying emotions that ultimately influence product success. This research is of value to food product developers, sensory scientists, marketing professionals, food retailers, and foodservice operations. This information also may be applied to non‐food consumer products.