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| Arousal and the Modulation of Food-Related Perceptions and Emotions |
| John Prescott Università degli Studi di Firenze, Italy & TasteMatters Research & Consulting, Australia, , , |
Across sensory systems, several stimulus collative characteristics, including intensity, novelty, complexity, and perceived threat, are known to elicit high levels of physiological and psychological arousal. Arousal and arousability are important elements in the emotional response to stimuli generally, but also specifically to foods, ultimately influencing food preferences and choices. In particular, food rejections are frequently linked to such arousal-inducing characteristics. Responses to food sensory properties are subject not just to variations in perceptual sensitivity due to genetics or experience – as in the case of widely rejected qualities such as bitterness or pungency - but also to the arousal potential of those stimuli. Moreover, this is linked to various enduring aspects of personality, suggesting that the impact of arousal on food choices is merely one aspect of a more general sensory sensitivity. The impact of diet on various health outcomes underlines the importance of understanding the relationship of arousal to food-related emotions and food choices. |