C.G. Forde (1)*, P.J.O.’Riordan (1), A.A.M. Poelman (1), C. Sulmont-Rossé (2), J. Mojet (3), E.P. Koster (3)

1) Food Science Australia, North Ryde, Sydney, Australia
2) UMR FLAVIC, INRA, Dijon, France
3) Centre of Innovative Consumer Science, Wageningen, the Netherlands
*Corresponding author email:  ciaran.forde@csiro.au

Sensory tests can often evoke an analytical attitude in consumers when they are evaluating products, such as in difference tests but also in consumer tests when they are asked to rate what they like about a product. Previous research by Mojet and Köster1 has shown that an authenticity approach, which aims to evoke and enhance purely affective reactions, can improve sample discrimination in a test. In this study affective (preference) and analytical (difference) test procedures have been compared in the presence and absence of a cover story intended to emotionally engage consumers, to investigate which type of test responds better to such a psychological bias.

The food product used required a strong emotional association to engage consumers. In Australia, the product Vegemite meets this criterion. Vegemite was spiked with two JND’s of Guaiacol, to give it a subtle sensory difference. A total of 160 consumers were divided into 4 groups; 2 “treatment” and 2 “control” .Each group completed a signal detection test and either a difference test (triangle test) or a preference test (paired preference). The two “treatment” groups were read a cover story prior to the evaluation that was used to create the heightened emotional involvement during the evaluation. Comparison of the responses between “treatment” and “control” groups indicated that the cover story had a different influence on discrimination depending on test type.

Consumers that received the cover story in the triangle test were more discriminating, but this effect was only seen when the spiked sample was the odd one in the test. In contrast, the paired preference test showed a decrease in discrimination between the samples when prefaced by a cover story, whereas the monadic signal detection task produced identical results in both control and treatment groups. Findings are discussed with regard to possible psychological reasons for the interaction between the cover story and the different test procedures. This study compared affective and analytical test procedures using an authenticity approach, and the interaction found demonstrates that application of context in this way must be carefully considered.

1) Mojet, J. and Koster, E.P. (1986). Onderzoek naar de waardering van drei lag-alcoholische bieren (Research on the appreciation of three low alcohol beers). Psychological Report, Utrecht University.

Acknowledgement: The idea for this study originated at European Sensory Network meetings and the authors gratefully acknowledge the contribution of ESN partners for their input into the study design.