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Background: In the digital era, developing effective teaching methods is crucial due to the challenges of maintaining students' concentration amidst distractions. This study assessed the effects of learning-promoting factors both across group boundaries and within RCT learning groups examined in our previous study on the effectiveness of online versus live teaching. Methods: The participants' experiences in the domains of Concentration, Anticipation, Liking and Desire to reuse were evaluated online immediately after a lesson on diagnosing pediatric respiratory issues implemented either in a Live, Live-stream, Vodcast or Podcast setting. The students rated their experiences on a scale of 1–10 with scores above a median of 8 indicating high experience levels in each factor. Learning was evaluated using a Webropol e-Test immediately and five weeks after the teaching session. The 15-minute test, comprised of 10 multiple-choice questions and real-life video scenarios, measured both theoretical and diagnostic skills. The test score scale ranged from − 26 to 28 points. Results: High concentration was experienced by 70/72 (97.2%) students in the Live, 41/75 (54.7%) students in the Live-stream, 53/72 (73.6%) students in the Vodcast and 36/79 (45.6%) students in the Podcast teaching groups (P < 0.01). High concentration promoted learning the most, resulting in a 1.93 score improvement in the short-term test and a 1.65 score improvement in the long-term test. Among those with high concentration, the average test scores ranged from 21.9 to 23.4, while the range for low concentration was 18.3–20.0. Conclusion: In our study, good concentration promoted higher test scores in comparison with low concentration across all the learning modalities, both in digital and live settings. However, the live teaching modality resulted in the highest levels of concentration. Our results suggest that teachers should use various teaching modalities and utilize related special features to engage learners and maintain their concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the main priorities of current food systems is to develop new and healthy foods to overcome food shortages considering consumer's expectations. Algae are receiving increasing attention as nutritious and sustainable food, though studies are limited mainly to Arthrospira and Chlorella species and cross-national research is scant. This study aims to investigate European consumers' liking and perception of crackers added with powders from Arthrospira platensis (green Spirulina), isolated proteins from Arthrospira platensis (blue Spirulina), Palmaria palmata, Saccharina latissima, Lithothamnium calcareum and a control cracker. Belgian, German, Italian, and Swedish participants (n = 413, 18–69 years, 59.8% females) evaluated cracker liking and perceived sensory attributes using the check-all-that-apply (CATA) task. Food neophobia, familiarity towards, and consumption of algae were also collected. Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR) analyses showed that across all countries, Lithothamnium calcareum, blue Spirulina and the control samples were perceived as similar and were liked more than the other crackers. "Sweet", "toasted bread", and "bland" attributes were significant contributors to liking, while "off-flavor", "fishy flavor", "umami" and "speckled" contributed negatively. PLSR performed by country provided similar results except for Italians who liked the green Spirulina sample equally as the samples added with Lithothamnium calcareum, blue Spirulina, and the control. These cross-national differences can be ascribed to Italians' lower food neophobia level. The present results suggest that Lithothamnium calcareum is the most promising algal species to be exploited in food formulations and that the use of isolated proteins from Spirulina (blue Spirulina) significantly reduces off-flavors, consequently improving consumers' acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is widely believed that exposure to sweetened foods and beverages stimulates the liking and desire for sweetness. Here we provide an updated review of the empirical evidence from human research examining whether exposure to sweet foods or beverages influences subsequent general liking for sweetness ('sweet tooth'), based on the conclusions of existing systematic reviews and more recent research identified from a structured search of literature. Prior reviews have concluded that the evidence for a relationship between sweet taste exposure and measures of sweet taste liking is equivocal, and more recent primary research generally does not support the view that exposure drives increased liking for sweetness, in adults or children. In intervention trials using a range of designs, acute exposure to sweetness usually has the opposite effect (reducing subsequent liking and desire for sweet taste), while sustained exposures have no significant effects or inconsistent effects. Recent longitudinal observational studies in infants and children also report no significant associations between exposures to sweet foods and beverages with measures of sweet taste preferences. Overall, while it is widely assumed that exposure to sweetness stimulates a greater liking and desire for sweetness, this is not borne out by the balance of empirical evidence. While new research may provide a more robust evidence base, there are also a number of methodological, biological and behavioural considerations that may underpin the apparent absence of a positive relationship between sweetness exposure and liking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voice preferences are an integral part of interpersonal interactions and shape how people connect with each other. While a large number of studies have investigated the mechanisms behind (speaking) voice attractiveness, very little research was dedicated to other types of vocalizations. In this Registered Report, we proposed to investigate voice preferences with an integrative approach. To this end, we used a newly recorded and validated stimulus set of contrasting vocalizations by 22 highly trained female singers speaking and singing the same material (in Brazilian Portuguese) in contrasting styles (sung as a lullaby, as a pop song or as an opera aria; and spoken aloud as if directed to an adult audience and as if directed to an infant). We asked 62 participants to rate these vocalizations in terms of how much they liked them; and we compared the amount of shared taste (that is, how much participants agreed in their preferences) across styles. We found highly idiosyncratic preferences across all styles. Our predictions concerning shared taste were not confirmed: although shared taste was higher for lullaby than for pop singing, it was unexpectedly higher for operatic than pop singing, and higher for infant-directed than adult-directed speech. Conversely, our prediction of limited consistency in average preferences for some singers across styles was confirmed, contradicting sexual selection-based ideas of singing and speaking as ‘backup’ signals of individual fitness. Our findings draw attention to the role of individual differences in voice preferences and highlight the need for a broader approach to understanding the underlying mechanisms of voice preferences. Stage 1 recommendation and review history: https://rr.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec?id=357. Stage 2 recommendation and review history: https://rr.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec?id=802.

Biscuits are food product frequently made from wheat flour. Food producers aim to produce biscuits using non-wheat flour, such as tuber, fruit, or grain flour. Consumers will accept product with acceptable sensory aspects, which can be determined by using the Rate-All-That-Apply (RATA) and emotional sensory mapping (ESM) procedures. The objective of this study was to identify and compare sensory qualities using the RATA method; emotional attributes using the ESM method in non-wheat biscuits. Five biscuits were tested including pedada:mocaf flour biscuits, pedada:porang flour biscuits, pumpberry biscuits, berryfine biscuits, and caramelized strawberry biscuits. Panelists showed an average favorability score on the attributes of crunchy texture; caramel, nutty, sweet, and milky aroma; nutty, vanilla, sweet and savory taste; golden-brown color; and dry mouthfeel. PCoA results show emotional attributes close to the liking point are fun and comforting; needstate attributes are balanced, sharing, and energy; and environmental state attributes are windy and morning. This research provides valuable information about the sensory profile and emotional attributes of non-wheat biscuits so that it can be used for further biscuit development and commercialization.

Reliance on animal foods must be reduced to improve planetary and human well-being. This research studied plant-based cheese alternatives (PBCA) relative to dairy cheese in a consumer taste test with 157 consumers in New Zealand. A case study approach used cream cheese (commercially available) as the focal product category (2 PBCA, 2 dairy) and implemented a multi-response paradigm (hedonic, sensory, emotional, conceptual, situational). "Beyond liking" insights were established, including drivers of liking (sensory, non-sensory) and sensory drivers of non-sensory product associations. Two consumer segments were identified, of which the largest (n = 111) liked PBCA and dairy samples equally (6.5–6.7 of 9). In this PBCA Likers cluster, the key sensory drivers of liking were 'creamy/smooth mouthfeel', 'dissolves quickly in mouth', and 'sweet', while a significant penalty was associated with 'mild/bland flavour'. The non-sensory data contributed additional consumer insights, including the four samples being perceived as differently appropriate for 9 of 12 use situations, with PBCA being regarded as less appropriate. In the limited confines of this case on cream cheese, the findings show that PBCA need not be inferior to their dairy counterparts despite a general narrative to the contrary. Of note, the results were obtained among participants who were open to eating a more PB diet but were not vegetarian or vegan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural waste can be used as a plastic filler during the production of packaging, reducing the environmental impact and raw material consumption while supporting the circular economy. Despite so many efforts being made in development and characterization, consumers' behavior toward packaging containing agricultural waste as a plastic filler for food is still unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate consumers' awareness of and liking for packaging containing agricultural waste as a plastic filler and consumers' perception and purchase intent of food in such packaging. Consumer survey research was conducted using an in-person questionnaire containing Likert scale, hedonic scale, and guide-type questions completed by 86 participants after showing them bread packaged in pouches made of plastic containing agricultural waste and a prompt in August of 2019. The responses were first analyzed as a whole and further evaluated using demographic and psychographic characteristics. Participants liked the use of agricultural waste to produce food packages and were willing to purchase food (bread) in this novel packaging. The aspect "reduction of harmful environmental impacts" was very important to participants if they were to purchase packaging containing agricultural waste. About 50% of participants were unsure of the performance of this packaging in terms of food quality and safety and >25% perceived no effect. Differences (p ≤ 0.05) within the groups for specific demographic and psychographic characteristics and two-way interactions between them were found. This study shows that food packaging containing agricultural waste should be well received and that packaging choices that affect the environment, like packaging containing agricultural waste, depend on consumers' mindset. Thus, educating consumers could contribute to reducing the packaging impact on the environment and to boosting environmentally friendly packaging acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant-based meat substitutes replacing animal meat can potentially support the transition towards more sustainable diets. To enable the required transition, consumer acceptance of plant-based meat is essential. An important aspect of this is the feeling of satiety or being full after eating. This study determined the satiating capacity of both plant-based meat and animal meat in 60 adults under real-life in-home conditions. Participants consumed four fixed ready-to eat meals for lunch at home once per week. Two types of Indian curry with 'chicken' were investigated as well as two types of pasta Bolognese with 'minced meat'. The two 'chicken' dishes and the two 'minced meat' dishes had the same recipe except for a gram-for-gram swap (125 g each) of either animal meat (chicken breast and minced meat) or plant-based (soy) meat. Results showed no difference in the satiating power of an animal meat dish and a plant-based meat dish when these were eaten as part of a full lunch meal at home. In addition, the meals did not result in energy nor macronutrient compensation during the rest of the day after consuming the meals. This occurred despite the caloric differences of the meals as a result of the real-life conditions (i.e., a lower energy content of the pasta with plant-based meat compared to the other meals). We conclude that meals with plant-based meat can be as satiating as meals with animal meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Consumption of the avocado fruit and its availability in the retail market has increased in recent decades and with it the desire to learn more about the market and consumer choices. This research aims to explore the consumers' preference heterogeneity toward avocado fruit in Italy assessing their personal eating orientation and socio-demographic factors. To achieve this purpose, the answers of 817 Italian consumer of avocado were collected using a structured questionnaire shared online at national level. A survey based on the best–worst method was conducted to assess the declared preferences of individuals toward a set of intrinsic, extrinsic and credence attributes of avocado, as well as a latent class analysis of subject preferences indexes was applied to identify different clusters of individuals. The distribution of preferences indexes was investigated among latent classes, which were regressed on the socio-demographic variables covariates using multinomial logistic regression. The results suggest that the desirable attributes for choosing avocado were taste, consistency (ready to eat) and affordable price. In addition, five consumer profiles in the Italian context were defined (named Hedonistic, Avocado fruit lovers, Sustainability sensitive, Value for money and Health sensitive) and characterized in terms of preferences and socio-demographic features. The study addresses a topic that has already been explored, but with an unexploited approach (latent class analysis combined with best–worst choice modeling). Therefore, the results help fill the gap in the existing literature by enriching it with a study that characterizes avocado consumers' preferences considering their heterogeneity in terms of perception and socio-demographic characteristics.

Abstract Objective To develop and evaluate the feasibility of a mobile application in Swiss households and assess its impact on dietary behavior and food acceptability between children who cooked with limited parental support (intervention group) with children who were not involved in cooking (control group). Methods A ten-week randomized controlled trial was conducted online in 2020. Parents were given access to a mobile-app with ten recipes. Each recipe emphasized one of two generally disliked foods (Brussels sprouts or whole-meal pasta). Parents photographed and weighed the food components from the child’s plate and reported whether their child liked the meal and target food. The main outcome measures were target food intake and acceptability analyzed through descriptive analysis for pre-post changes. Results Of 24 parents who completed the baseline questionnaires, 18 parents and their children (median age: 8 years) completed the evaluation phase. Mean child baseline Brussel sprouts and whole-meal pasta intakes were 19.0 ± 24.2 g and 86.0 ± 69.7 g per meal, respectively. No meaningful differences in intake were found post-intervention or between groups. More children reported a neutral or positive liking towards the whole-meal pasta in the intervention group compared to those in the control group. No change was found for liking of Brussel sprouts. Conclusions for practice The intervention was found to be feasible however more studies on larger samples are needed to validate feasibility. Integrating digital interventions in the home and promoting meal preparation may improve child reported acceptance of some healthy foods. Using such technology may save time for parents and engage families in consuming healthier meals.

This experiment examines the effects of presentation consistency on perceived authenticity and liking in computer-mediated communication, differentiating between profile views and short online text-based conversations. The experimental design is a 2 (presentation-consistent vs. -inconsistent) × 2 (profile view vs. short conversation) between-subjects experiment using university students (N = 173) in Singapore. Results show higher perceived authenticity (η2p = .29) and liking after short conversations than after profile views without conversations. When there is only a profile view, perceived authenticity is lower when the profile photo is inconsistent with the profile text than when it is consistent (η2p = .05). We discuss these findings in terms of schema tuning, where presentation inconsistencies can be accommodated over time as individuals develop unique mental schemas about their communication partners.

Consumption of the avocado fruit and its availability in the retail market has increased in recent decades and with it the desire to learn more about the market and consumer choices. This research aims to explore the consumers' preference heterogeneity toward avocado fruit in Italy assessing their personal eating orientation and socio-demographic factors. To achieve this purpose, the answers of 817 Italian consumer of avocado were collected using a structured questionnaire shared online at national level. A survey based on the best–worst method was conducted to assess the declared preferences of individuals toward a set of intrinsic, extrinsic and credence attributes of avocado, as well as a latent class analysis of subject preferences indexes was applied to identify different clusters of individuals. The distribution of preferences indexes was investigated among latent classes, which were regressed on the socio-demographic variables covariates using multinomial logistic regression. The results suggest that the desirable attributes for choosing avocado were taste, consistency (ready to eat) and affordable price. In addition, five consumer profiles in the Italian context were defined (named Hedonistic, Avocado fruit lovers, Sustainability sensitive, Value for money and Health sensitive) and characterized in terms of preferences and socio-demographic features. The study addresses a topic that has already been explored, but with an unexploited approach (latent class analysis combined with best–worst choice modeling). Therefore, the results help fill the gap in the existing literature by enriching it with a study that characterizes avocado consumers' preferences considering their heterogeneity in terms of perception and socio-demographic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the neurobiology of social reward processing is fundamental, holding promises for reducing maladaptive/dysfunctional social behaviors and boosting the benefits associated with a healthy social life. Current research shows that processing of social (vs. non-social) rewards may be driven by oxytocinergic signaling. However, studies in humans often led to mixed results. This review aimed to systematically summarize available experimental results that assessed the modulation of social reward processing by intranasal oxytocin (IN-OXY) administration in humans. The literature search yielded 385 results, of which 19 studies were included in the qualitative synthesis. The effects of IN-OXY on subjective, behavioral, and (neuro)physiological output variables are discussed in relation to moderating variables—reward phase, reward type, onset and dosage, participants’ sex/gender, and clinical condition. Results indicate that IN-OXY is mostly effective during the consumption (“liking”) of social rewards. These effects are likely exerted by modulating the activity of the prefrontal cortex, insula, precuneus, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala, and striatum. Finally, we provide suggestions for designing future oxytocin studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IntroductionOver the past years, several efforts have been made to formulate and develop plant-based substitutes of animal-based products in response to environmental changes, health issues and animal welfare. However, plant-based protein poses several challenges to product sensory characteristics, especially appearance, flavor, and texture. Despite this, current literature data have mainly reviewed nutritional, technological, and sustainability aspects of plant-based products with limited concerns on perceived sensory properties and perceptive barriers to consumption related to each specific substitute. To fill this literature gap, this systematic review aims to provide an up-to-date overview of the perceptive determinants of consumers' acceptance of plant-based substitutes of animal-origin products, including meat, dairy, fish and eggs analogs, with emphasis on product's intrinsic properties: appearance, smell, taste, and texture. Moreover, age-, gender-, and cultural-related differences in the appreciation/rejection of plant-based substitutes of animal-origin products were investigated.MethodsThe systematic analysis of the literature consulting Web of Science (Core Collection) and Scopus databases retrieved 13 research articles on meat, 26 on dairy, and two on fish and eggs analogs.Results and discussionResults showed that all sensory dimensions are influenced by the replacement of animal proteins with those of vegetable origin. However, the relative importance of appearance, odor, taste, and texture varied according to plant-based analogs category and mitigatory processing strategies to mask unpleasant sensory properties have been suggested for each category. Dairy analogs mainly suffer of aromas and flavors imparted by the raw materials, while both meat and dairy analogs have texture challenges. Meat analogs lack of juiciness, elasticity and firmness, while dairy analogs require uniform, creamy and thick texture. Moreover, very few studies analyzed the product's perception, considering age- and gender-related differences or cross-national/cultural differences. Future research should be addressed to specific product categories such as fish and eggs analogs as well as specific population targets including children and the elderly and consumers from developing countries.

A high-protein bar incorporating mealworm powder was developed. The impact of explicit and implicit frame formation on the acceptance and sensory characteristics of this target bar was investigated by comparing it with four commercial protein bars for a total of 275 consumers. To construct the explicit frame, consumers watched a video clip about each frame (environment/nutrition/meal replacement) just before the evaluation. In the no-explicit-frame group, five protein bars were evaluated without video priming. The control group tasted the target sample only without any information. The implicit framework formed during the progress of exposure to various protein bar samples had a greater influence than explicit cues on the acceptance of the target. Promoting the nutritional and environmental merits of edible insects was not sufficient to improve the acceptability of the insect-incorporated protein bar. The liking decreased significantly with the inclusion of the commercial samples during the progress of sequential monadic serving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When students who are confident in their abilities do not perform well in an important course, they are likely to experience surprise. This case study investigated engineering students' experiences of surprise caused by test scores in foundational courses. Students taking Engineering Statics reflected on their surprise after completing tests by following a template that asked questions about how surprised they were (experiential indicator of surprise), how much they liked their scores (affective indicator), and how much they expected such scores (cognitive indicator). An inductive analysis of the reflections showed that students were at least moderately unpleasantly surprised and moderately pleasantly surprised in 34.6% and 13.5% of the reflections, respectively. Among all reflections, 34.6% showed that students did not like their scores, and 25% showed that they did not expect such scores. A major cause of unpleasant surprise was the disparity between the students' high confidence in their understanding and their lower-than-expected scores. The other major cause was the disparity between the students' high effort in studying for the tests and their scores that were lower than expected. More than half of these students prepared for tests by reviewing materials. The emotions associated with unpleasant surprise included feelings of being disappointed, frustrated, and upset, and those associated with pleasant surprise were happiness and relief. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of overweight and obesity has generated significant concerns among European consumers and institutions. As part of a set of measures undertaken, the European Union (EU) called for one harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label (FOPL) to improve consumer food nutritional knowledge and encourage healthier and more informed food choices. Different types of FOPLs, ranging from nutrient-specific labels—such as the NutrInform Battery—to summary labels—such as the Nutri-Score—have been developed and introduced in different markets, reporting different degrees of effectiveness in terms of understanding. The aim of this study is to provide actionable insights by analyzing a specific part of the complex consumers' decision-making process in food when aided by FOPLs. Adopting a between-subject experiment on a sample of 4560 respondents in 20 EU member countries, the study compares the consumer subjective understanding and liking of two labels currently under examination by the EU bodies, the NutrInform Battery and the Nutri-Score. At an aggregated level, the results show that NutrInform Battery is more effective than Nutri-Score in improving consumer subjective understanding and leads to a higher liking towards the label. A detailed by-country analysis highlights either a superiority or a parity of NutrInform Battery for subjective understanding and liking. Theoretically, this study, through a large panel of respondents, adds the fundamental perspective on subjective understanding, complementing the findings of extant research on objective understanding, and further clarifies the role of liking as a complementary element in the food decision-making process toward heathier and more informed food choices. This might be of significant relevance in providing additional evidence that can be used by policymakers in their attempt toward the selection of a uniform FOPL at EU level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to formulate a theory of social capital, which has the potential to reconcile many of the contradictions and problems that exist today in this field of knowledge. The proposed conceptualization has the potential to resolve the following problems: 1) The impossibility of reducing the rational and irrational aspects of social capital to one denominator; 2) Lack of connection between micro and macro analysis; 3) tautology of definition, when social capital is defined by its effects; 4) the inability to reduce the manifestations of social capital to a single basis; 5) biased positivity; and others. First, the author proposes to define social capital through the concept of willingness to do a favor (favor willingness), which is meant to be the basis of social capital (social resource). Next the topic of the sources of this willingness is explored, which, according to the author, are liking for and trust in a social unit (person, group, company, etc.). Next, the concept of social capital infrastructure is introduced, the role of which is to allow for the accumulation of social capital and its transfer between network members. The infrastructure consists of two levels – the social network as a whole and interpersonal relations in particular. At the first level, general liking and trust are accumulated, at the second – personal liking and trust. Next the issue of extracting benefits from social capital (activation, use) is highlighted. After that, examples of the compatibility of this theory with already existing concepts are given. The author concludes that the proposed concept well resolves some key contradictions and problems in the science of social capital.

Non-grapefruits with unique sensory properties and potential health benefits provide added value to fruit wine production. This study aimed to explore consumers' fruit wine preferences and descriptors for the varied fruit wines. First, 234 consumers participated in an online survey concerning their preferences for different wines (grape, blueberry, hawthorn, goji, Rosa roxburghii, and apricot). In addition, their attitudes towards general health interests, food neophobia, alcoholic drinks, and sweetness were collected. Grape wine and blueberry wine were the most favored wines, and goji wine was the least liked fruit wine sample. Moreover, 89 consumers were invited to evaluate 10 commercial fruit wines by using partial projective mapping based on appearance, aroma, and flavor (including taste and mouthfeel) to obtain a comprehensive sensory characterization. Multifactor analysis results showed that consumers could differentiate the fruit wines. Participants preferred fruit wines with "sweet", "sour", and "balanced fragrance", whereas "bitter", "astringent", "deep appearance", and "medicinal fragrance" were not preferred. Attitudes toward health, food neophobia, alcohol, and sweetness had less influence than taste and aroma (sensory attributes) on the preferences for fruit wine products. More frequent self-reported wine usage resulted in higher consumption frequency and liking ratings compared to non-users. Overall, the main factors influencing consumer preference for fruit wines were the sensory characteristics of the products, especially the taste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of seafood in supporting transitions towards more sustainable and healthier diets is often overlooked. Oysters, for example, are a nutrient dense aquatic food whose production requires no feed, freshwater, or land use. However, oyster consumption in Sweden is limited, possibly in part due to being traditionally served raw. This study investigated consumer acceptance of oysters when cooked and prepared to resemble familiar foods and examined whether food neophobia (FN) was related to liking. Four oyster-based samples (raw oyster, oyster crepe, oyster burger, and oyster soup) were evaluated in an ecologically valid setting. Participants (N=102; convenience sampling) rated the samples in terms of hedonics (expected liking and liking after tasting), described which aspects of the samples were liked/disliked, and reported the contexts in which oyster consumption is perceived as appropriate. The findings suggest that FN was negatively associated with expected liking of raw oysters, but not with expected liking for cooked oyster-based products that were cooked to resemble familiar foods. On the other hand, familiarity with oysters was positively associated with expected liking of raw oysters. This suggests that expanding oyster preparations beyond its traditional raw format could be a valuable strategy to promote oyster consumption in Sweden.

Reliance on animal foods must be reduced to improve planetary and human well-being. This research studied plant-based cheese alternatives (PBCA) relative to dairy cheese in a consumer taste test with 157 consumers in New Zealand. A case study approach used cream cheese (commercially available) as the focal product category (2 PBCA, 2 dairy) and implemented a multi-response paradigm (hedonic, sensory, emotional, conceptual, situational). “Beyond liking” insights were established, including drivers of liking (sensory, non-sensory) and sensory drivers of non-sensory product associations. Two consumer segments were identified, of which the largest (n = 111) liked PBCA and dairy samples equally (6.5–6.7 of 9). In this PBCA Likers cluster, the key sensory drivers of liking were ‘creamy/smooth mouthfeel’, ‘dissolves quickly in mouth’, and ‘sweet’, while a significant penalty was associated with ‘mild/bland flavour’. The non-sensory data contributed additional consumer insights, including the four samples being perceived as differently appropriate for 9 of 12 use situations, with PBCA being regarded as less appropriate. In the limited confines of this case on cream cheese, the findings show that PBCA need not be inferior to their dairy counterparts despite a general narrative to the contrary. Of note, the results were obtained among participants who were open to eating a more PB diet but were not vegetarian or vegan.

Trichotillomania (TTM; hair-pulling disorder) is characterized by an irresistible urge or desire to pull out one's own hair, and a sense of pleasure when hair is pulled out. Evidence from translational neuroscience has shown that 'wanting' (motivation to seek a reward) and 'liking' (enjoyment when reward is received) are each mediated by overlapping but distinct neural circuitry, and that 'wanting' contributes to addictive/compulsive behaviors more so than 'liking'. In the present study, we developed the Hair Pulling Reward Scale (HPRS), a self-report measure that consists of two subscales designed to assess (a) cue-triggered urges and appetitive motivation to pull hair (i.e., putative correlates of 'wanting'), and (b) momentary pleasure and gratification during pulling episodes (i.e., putative correlates of 'liking'). We administered the HPRS to 259 individuals with TTM and examined its psychometric properties. Confirmatory factor analysis supported a two-factor model reflecting correlated Wanting and Liking scales. Consistent with predictions, Wanting, much more than Liking, had robust correlations with TTM severity, impulsiveness, difficulties in emotion regulation, psychiatric symptoms, and sleep dysfunction. The results suggest that the HPRS is a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used as a symptom-level measure of reward processing in TTM.

In this study, we examined differences in music-evoked emotions and music liking between two approaches to teaching ear-training in music school. Participants were 423 pupils (60% female; Mage = 10.55 years, SDage = 0.92) in the third grade. In two ear-training lessons prepared either by the standard (STA) or the multimodal and interdisciplinary cognitive-emotional approach (CEA), pupils listened to a 2-minute excerpt from the 4th movement (Allegro con fuoco) of the Symphony no. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 (“From the New World”) by Antonín Dvořák. The Geneva Emotional Music Scale (GEMS-9, Zentner et al., 2008) was translated and adapted to measure music-evoked emotions. Pupils also reported their music liking. In this study, the original three-factor structure of the GEMS-9 was not replicated, and instead a two-factor solution with factors labelled Activation and Calmness emerged. The results showed that in both groups the music evoked moderate to moderately high Activation and low Calmness. Pupils reported high music liking, however, those who participated in the CEA liked the music more than those who participated in the STA. The listening activities that enrich children’s experiences of classical music in the classroom are discussed.

Mimicry has been proven to be responsible for many social consequences linked to social bonding: improved trust, liking, and rapport. This accumulating empirical evidence has mostly been based on experimental designs focused on comparisons between two conditions: an experimental condition involving mimicking behavior versus a control condition in which any movement or direct verbal reaction is withdrawn. Thus, it is unclear whether the observed differences stem from a potential increase in liking, trust, or rapport in the mimicry condition or a decrease thereof when naturally occurring gestures are not present during the interaction. To address this potential confound, we included an additional control condition involving responsiveness (but not mimicry) aimed at increasing both internal and external validity. We found significant differences between the mimicry condition and both control conditions, thereby lending support to the original mimicry-as-a-social-glue hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we examined differences in music-evoked emotions and music liking between two approaches to teaching ear-training in music school. Participants were 423 pupils(60% female; Mage = 10.55 years, SDage = 0.92) in the third grade. In two ear-training lessons prepared either by the standard (STA) or the multimodal and interdisciplinary cognitive-emotional approach (CEA), pupils listened to a 2-minute excerpt from the 4th movement (Allegro con fuoco) of the Symphony no. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 (“From the New World”) by Antonín Dvořák. The Geneva Emotional Music Scale (GEMS-9, Zentner et al., 2008) was translated and adapted to measure music-evoked emotions. Pupils also reported their music liking. In this study, the original three-factor structure of the GEMS-9 was not replicated, and instead a two-factor solution with factors labelled Activation and Calmness emerged. The results showed that in both groups the music evoked moderate to moderately high Activation and low Calmness. Pupils reported high music liking, however, those who participated in the CEA liked the music more than those who participated in the STA. The listening activities that enrich children’s experiences of classical music in the classroom are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the present study was to evaluate the sweet taste function in obese rats fed with a 30% calorie-restricted cafeteria diet (CAFR) and/or subjected to moderate treadmill exercise (12–17 m/min, 35 min, 5 days per week) for 9 weeks. A two-bottle preference test, a taste reactivity test, and a brief-access licking test were carried out when animals were aged 21 weeks; biometric and metabolic parameters were also measured along the interventions. Two separate experiments for females and males were performed. Behaviorally, CAF diet decreased sucrose intake and preference, as well as perceived palatability, in both sexes and decreased hedonic responses in males. Compared to the CAF diet, CAFR exerted a corrective effect on sweet taste variables in females by increasing sucrose intake in the preference test and licking responses, while exercise decreased sucrose intake in both sexes and licking responses in females. As expected, CAF diet increased body weight and Lee index and worsened the metabolic profile in both sexes, whereas CAFR diet ameliorated these effects mainly in females. Exercise had no noticeable effects on these parameters. We conclude that CAF diet might diminish appetitive behavior toward sucrose in both sexes, and that this effect could be partially reverted by CAFR diet in females only, while exercise might exert protective effects against overconsumption of sucrose in both sexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: Hot-pepper cheese (HPC) is a growing category of flavored natural cheese. The objective of this study was to evaluate consumer perception of HPC using a combination of quantitative survey methods and consumer evaluation of HPC. An online survey (n = 510) was conducted to understand drivers of purchase for the HPC category. Consumers of HPC answered maximum difference exercises and an adaptive choice-based conjoint activity focused on HPC attributes. Subsequently, natural HPC were manufactured in duplicate with 5 different hot-pepper blends with a range of heat intensities and distinct color differences. Trained panel profiling and consumer-acceptance testing (n = 194 consumers) were conducted on the cheeses. Three clusters of consumers were identified from the online survey. Cluster 1 (n = 175) were traditional HPC consumers, and cluster 2 (n = 152) preferred milder HPC. Cluster 3 (n = 183) showed preference for spicier HPC as well as novel HPC, such as those made with habanero peppers or white Cheddar cheese. Conceptually, the overall ideal HPC was a Monterey Jack with medium-sized, multicolored pieces of jalapeno peppers and a medium heat and spiciness. Heat and spiciness intensity and type of cheese were the most important attributes. The 5 HPC used in consumer testing had a distinct range (low to high) of hot-pepper burn and heat intensity by trained panel profiling. Consumer overall liking increased as hot-pepper burn and heat intensity increased to a certain point, indicating HPC consumers may have an optimal point for heat and spiciness in HPC. Consumers also preferred HPC with multicolored pepper pieces over those with a single pepper color, consistent with survey results. Consumers who self-reported that they prefer mild- or medium-spicy foods (mild consumers) preferred HPC that were less intense in hot-pepper burn than consumers who self-reported preference for hot or spicy foods (hot consumers). Most HPC consumers preferred HPC with higher heat intensity and were also motivated by visual characteristics of HPC.

Plant-based meat substitutes replacing animal meat can potentially support the transition towards more sustainable diets. To enable the required transition, consumer acceptance of plant-based meat is essential. An important aspect of this is the feeling of satiety or being full after eating. This study determined the satiating capacity of both plant-based meat and animal meat in 60 adults under real-life in-home conditions. Participants consumed four fixed ready-to eat meals for lunch at home once per week. Two types of Indian curry with ‘chicken’ were investigated as well as two types of pasta Bolognese with ‘minced meat’. The two ‘chicken’ dishes and the two ‘minced meat’ dishes had the same recipe except for a gram-for-gram swap (125 g each) of either animal meat (chicken breast and minced meat) or plant-based (soy) meat. Results showed no difference in the satiating power of an animal meat dish and a plant-based meat dish when these were eaten as part of a full lunch meal at home. In addition, the meals did not result in energy nor macronutrient compensation during the rest of the day after consuming the meals. This occurred despite the caloric differences of the meals as a result of the real-life conditions (i.e., a lower energy content of the pasta with plant-based meat compared to the other meals). We conclude that meals with plant-based meat can be as satiating as meals with animal meat.

Chocolate is a highly appreciated food around the world which is rich in polyphenols but usually sweetened to mask inherent bitterness and astringency. Here we aim to determine how roast time and temperature in cacao roasting affect bitterness intensity and consumer liking of chocolate. We have also determined the relationship between consumer liking and perceived bitterness, astringency, sourness, sweetness, and cocoa intensity. Unroasted cacao from three different origins was roasted according to a designed experiment into a total of 27 treatments which were evaluated for overall liking and sensory attribute intensities by 145 chocolate consumers. We demonstrate that bitterness, sourness and astringency of 100% chocolate can be reduced through optimizing roasting temperature and time. Reduction of bitterness, sourness and astringency were significantly correlated with increased acceptability of the unsweetened chocolate samples. Aside from roasting, cacao origin including base levels of bitterness, astringency, and sourness should also be considered when optimizing consumer acceptability. Perceived cocoa flavor intensity, being highly positively correlated to liking, is likely to also be an important consideration for raw material selection. As for optimal roast profiles, for the cacao origins in our study, more intense roasting conditions such as 20 min at 171 °C, 80 min at 135 °C, and 54 min at 151 °C, all led to the most acceptable unsweetened chocolate. Conversely, for the purposes of optimizing consumer acceptability, our data do not support the use of raw or lightly roasted cacao, such as 0 min at 24 °C, 11 min at 105 °C, or 55 min at 64 °C.

The ability to regulate the intake of unhealthy foods is critical in modern, calorie dense food environments. Frontal areas of the brain, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), are thought to play a central role in cognitive control and emotional regulation. Therefore, increasing activity in the DLPFC may enhance these functions which could improve the ability to reappraise and resist consuming highly palatable but unhealthy foods. One technique for modifying brain activity is transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a non-invasive technique for modulating neuronal excitability that can influence performance on a range of cognitive tasks. We tested whether anodal tDCS targeting the right DLPFC would influence how people perceived highly palatable foods. In the present study, 98 participants were randomly assigned to receive a single session of active tDCS (2.0 mA) or sham stimulation. While receiving active or sham stimulation, participants viewed images of highly palatable foods and reported how pleasant it would be to eat each food (liking) and how strong their urge was to eat each food (wanting). We found that participants who received active versus sham tDCS stimulation perceived food as less pleasant, but there was no difference in how strong their urge was to eat the foods. Our findings suggest that modulating excitability in the DLPFC influences “liking” but not “wanting” of highly palatable foods. Non-invasive brain stimulation might be a useful technique for influencing the hedonic experience of eating but more work is needed to understand when and how it influences food cravings.

This article describes a dataset providing temporal sensory descriptions and affective answers for red wines: two Bordeaux and two Riojas. The wines were tasted at home by French (FR, n=106) and Spanish (SP, n=98) consumers and in the lab by wine students (WC, n=47). Standardized information was displayed on the samples (country and region of origin, name, producer, vintage, alcohol content). The FR and SP panels were split into three groups, the first having no rating information, the second having expert rating information (based on Wine Advocate ratings), and the third having consumer rating information (based on online Vivino reviews). The participants first rated their expected liking for the four wines. Then, for each wine sample, they had (in order) to taste the sample while being video recorded, rate their liking, temporally describe the sequence of sensations they perceived using Free-Comment Attack-Evolution-Finish, answer several questions about familiarity and quality perception, and declare their willingness to pay (reserve price). Then, they had to rank the four wines according to their quality. General questions about wine involvement, subjective wine knowledge, valuation behaviour, purchasing, and consumption patterns were asked. Finally, an auction was resolved: participants declaring a reserve price greater than the drawn price won a bottle. The data were used to assess the influence of culture and expertise on temporal sensory evaluations in an article entitled “Using Free-Comment to investigate expertise and cultural differences in wine sensory description”. The data can be reused by researchers interested in studying the impact of external information on preferences and choices or investigating the sensory drivers of liking.

Across three studies, we integrate relational leadership theory with affective events theory to examine the leader perspective in dyadic relationships and how this perspective influences differential leader behaviors directed toward each subordinate in terms of safety enforcement. First, in two field studies with different high-risk contexts, we delineate a curvilinear relationship between supervisor-rated leader–member exchange (SLMX) and safety enforcement. In our second field study we also examine the moderating role of leaders' safety commitment as well as the linkage between safety enforcement and accidents. Finally, in a fully randomized experiment, we explore three relational dynamics as mechanisms of the effect of SLMX on safety enforcement—trust, consideration, and liking. Through these efforts, we offer rare direct tests of the theoretical assertion that leader–member exchange includes differential treatment based on affective relationship cues within a leader-and-subordinate relationship. Our two field studies reveal that leaders are likely to monitor safety most closely for low- and high-SLMX subordinates, but mid-SLMX subordinates are most likely to be overlooked. This U-shaped relationship emerges only for less committed leaders, and safety enforcement translates these effects to actual accidents. Our experimental study reveals a similar U shape between liking and enforcement, but a positive relationship emerges between distrust and enforcement, as well as between consideration on enforcement. These results shed insight into theoretical and practical implications for how leaders can foster a safer workplace for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abusive supervision has long been found to have remarkably negative impacts on individual and organizational outcomes. Accordingly, prior studies have explored many organizational and supervisory predictors of abusive supervision and offered several interventions to reduce it. However, extant research lacks the bottom-up perspective to explore how employees can act to reduce abusive supervision, which is an important factor that enriches abusive supervision literature and helps employees protect themselves from being abused. Drawing on self-disclosure theory, we develop a model of whether and how employee boundary blurring behavior may protect them from being abused by their supervisors. Specifically, we conducted two studies to test the theoretical model, including a scenariobased experimental study and a multi-source, multi-wave field study. The results reveal a negative indirect effect of employee boundary blurring behavior on abusive supervision via supervisor liking toward the employee. By uncovering employee boundary blurring behavior as an antecedent of abusive supervision, we enrich the abusive supervision literature with a bottom-up behavioral strategy for employees to proactively protect themselves from being abused. We hope our findings will encourage future studies to identify boundary conditions and other solutions for employees to minimize the risk of being abused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To clarify the relationship between higher vocational students' liking of teachers and their learning engagement, based on the theory of social exchange, 1,279 vocational students in the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta in China are used as the research objects. From the perspective of students and teachers, SPSS and AMOS are used to conduct a two-stage linear regression analysis. The results show that (1) students' liking of their teachers has a positive effect on learning engagement; (2) liking positively affects students' psychological empowerment; (3) liking of teachers indirectly influences learning engagement through psychological empowerment; (4) teacher's support positively moderates the indirect relationship between liking of teachers and learning engagement through psychological empowerment. This study attempts to provide practical guidance for college students to provide learning engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Voice preferences are an integral part of interpersonal interactions and shape how people connect with each other. While a large number of studies have investigated the mechanisms behind (speaking) voice attractiveness, very little research was dedicated to other types of vocalizations. In this Registered Report, we proposed to investigate voice preferences with an integrative approach. To this end, we used a newly recorded and validated stimulus set of contrasting vocalizations by 22 highly trained female singers speaking and singing the same material (in Brazilian Portuguese) in contrasting styles (sung as a lullaby, as a pop song or as an opera aria; and spoken aloud as if directed to an adult audience and as if directed to an infant). We asked 62 participants to rate these vocalizations in terms of how much they liked them; and we compared the amount of shared taste (that is, how much participants agreed in their preferences) across styles. We found highly idiosyncratic preferences across all styles. Our predictions concerning shared taste were not confirmed: although shared taste was higher for lullaby than for pop singing, it was unexpectedly higher for operatic than pop singing, and higher for infant-directed than adult-directed speech. Conversely, our prediction of limited consistency in average preferences for some singers across styles was confirmed, contradicting sexual selection-based ideas of singing and speaking as 'backup' signals of individual fitness. Our findings draw attention to the role of individual differences in voice preferences and highlight the need for a broader approach to understanding the underlying mechanisms of voice preferences. Stage 1 recommendation and review history: https://rr.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec?id=357. Stage 2 recommendation and review history: https://rr.peercommunityin.org/articles/rec?id=802., Competing Interests: We declare we have no competing interests., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

OBJECTIVES To assess children’s physical and sedentary activity behavior, enjoyment (i.e., liking), and preference during two separate experimental conditions: parent attentive and parent non-attentive. METHODS Ten children (n = 6 boys, 4 girls), 3 to 6 years old, along with one parent (n = 6 mothers, 4 fathers) per child participated in each condition on separate days for 30-minutes in which they could choose from a variety of physical and/or sedentary activities. RESULTS A greater number of accelerometer counts (p = 0.04) were accumulated during the parent attentive (96,547 ± 33,075.26 counts) condition than the parent non-attentive (48,316.30 ± 46,101.47 counts) condition. More time (p = 0.007) was allocated to sedentary activities during the parent non-attentive (19.5 ± 13.3 minutes) condition than parent attentive (2.8 ± 3.55 minutes) condition. Children liked (p = 0.004) the parent attentive (9.05 ± 1.21 cm) condition more than parent non-attentive (4.42 ± 3.18 cm) condition. A non-significant (p = 0.21) proportion of children identified the parent attentive (70%) as their preferred condition over the parent non-attentive condition. CONCLUSIONS Parental attentiveness may be an important component to take into consideration when trying to maximize children’s physical activity behavior and enjoyment while simultaneously reducing sedentary behavior.

The incidence of overweight and obesity has generated significant concerns among European consumers and institutions. As part of a set of measures undertaken, the European Union (EU) called for one harmonized mandatory front-of-pack nutritional label (FOPL) to improve consumer food nutritional knowledge and encourage healthier and more informed food choices. Different types of FOPLs, ranging from nutrient-specific labels—such as the NutrInform Battery—to summary labels—such as the Nutri-Score—have been developed and introduced in different markets, reporting different degrees of effectiveness in terms of understanding. The aim of this study is to provide actionable insights by analyzing a specific part of the complex consumers’ decision-making process in food when aided by FOPLs. Adopting a between-subject experiment on a sample of 4560 respondents in 20 EU member countries, the study compares the consumer subjective understanding and liking of two labels currently under examination by the EU bodies, the NutrInform Battery and the Nutri-Score. At an aggregated level, the results show that NutrInform Battery is more effective than Nutri-Score in improving consumer subjective understanding and leads to a higher liking towards the label. A detailed by-country analysis highlights either a superiority or a parity of NutrInform Battery for subjective understanding and liking. Theoretically, this study, through a large panel of respondents, adds the fundamental perspective on subjective understanding, complementing the findings of extant research on objective understanding, and further clarifies the role of liking as a complementary element in the food decision-making process toward heathier and more informed food choices. This might be of significant relevance in providing additional evidence that can be used by policymakers in their attempt toward the selection of a uniform FOPL at EU level.

Investigating how people respond to and view AI-created artworks is becoming increasingly crucial as the technology's current application spreads due to its affordability and accessibility. This study examined how AI art alters people's evaluation, purchase intention, and collection intention toward Chinese-style and Western-style paintings, and whether art expertise plays a role. Study 1 recruited participants without professional art experience (nonexperts) and found that those who made the paintings would not change their liking rating, purchase intention, and collection intention. In addition, they showed ingroup preference, favoring Chinese-style relative to Western-style paintings, in line with previous evidence on cultural preference in empirical aesthetics. Study 2 further investigated the modulation effect of art expertise. Art experts evaluated less favorably (less liking, lower purchase, and collection intentions) AI-generated paintings relative to artist-made paintings, while non-experts showed no preference. There was also an interaction effect between the author and the art expertise and interaction between the painting style and the art expertise. Collectively, the findings in this study showed that who made the art matters for experts and that the painting style affects aesthetic evaluation and ultimate reception of it. These results would also provide implications for AI-art practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A lack of physical activity (PA) is one of the most pressing health issues today. Our individual propensity for PA is influenced by genetic factors. Stated liking of different PA types may help capture additional and informative dimensions of PA behavior genetics. Methods: In over 157,000 individuals from the UK Biobank, we performed genome-wide association studies of five items assessing the liking of different PA types, plus an additional derived trait of overall PA-liking. We attempted to replicate significant associations in the Netherlands Twin Register (NTR) and TwinsUK. Additionally, polygenic scores (PGS) were trained in the UK Biobank for each PA-liking item and for self-reported PA behavior, and tested for association with PA in the NTR. Results: We identified a total of 19 unique significant loci across all five PA-liking items and the overall PA-liking trait, and these showed strong directional consistency in the replication cohorts. Four of these loci were previously identified for PA behavior, including CADM2 , which was associated with three PA-liking items. The PA-liking items were genetically correlated with self-reported (r g = 0.38–0.80) and accelerometer (r g = 0.26–0.49) PA measures, and with a wide range of health-related traits. Each PA-liking PGS significantly predicted the same PA-liking item in NTR. The PGS of liking for going to the gym predicted PA behavior in the NTR (r 2 = 0.40%) nearly as well as a PGS based on self-reported PA behavior (r 2 = 0.42%). Combining the two PGS into a single model increased the r 2 to 0.59%, suggesting that PA-liking captures distinct and relevant dimensions of PA behavior. Conclusions: We have identified the first loci associated with PA-liking and extended our understanding of the genetic basis of PA behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As some previous research has highlighted, landscape characteristics are useful for improving the market share of some food products and the market power of companies in the agrifood sector. The purpose of this study is to verify whether the visual aesthetic quality of the landscape can influence food preferences and the willingness to pay for agrifood products. To this end, the preferences of 64 participants for three types of juice (orange, peach and pear) were analysed through a blind tasting experiment. Each participant tasted three pairs of fruit juices, one for each type of juice. The juices belonging to each pair were the same, but before tasting, the participants were shown two photos portraying the orchards where the fruits were produced, so participants were induced to think that the juices were different. The landscape associated with each pair of photographs had a different visual aesthetic quality (high or low). Participants were asked to provide three measures while tasting the juices: their overall juice assessment using a seven-point hedonic scale, the visual aesthetic quality of the photos on a seven-point Likert scale, and their willingness to pay as a percentage variation of the price that they usually pay to buy fruit juices. According to our results, the mean overall liking score and the mean willingness to pay percentage variation for the juices associated with a preferred landscape was higher and statistically different. Despite the need for further research, our results suggest that landscape acts as a proxy for quality in the evaluation of some food products and that the use of landscape photos could be a valid marketing strategy in agribusiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The link between acute stress, food pleasure and eating behavior in humans by employing measures of individual reward mechanisms has not been investigated as of yet. Having these insights is key to understanding why many people experience a change in eating behavior when experiencing stress. Thirty-five Danes (mean age 21.71 years) underwent a stress-inducing and relaxation-inducing task based on a randomized cross-over study design. Both tasks were combined with the Leeds Food Preference Questionnaire, to investigate the effect of stress on specific measures of food reward. Furthermore, participants chose a snack, as a covert measure of actual food choice. The study found no effect on explicit liking, explicit wanting or relative preference. For implicit wanting, an effect was detected on high-fat sweet foods, with increasing scores for the stress-induced condition. Moreover, 54% chose a different snack following the stress-inducing condition. Interestingly, 14% chose to change their snack choice to no snack at all. Results suggest acute psychosocial stress can increase cravings for highly palatable foods for some, while for others an experience of loss of appetite prevails. Overall, this study points to a further understanding of why consumers have issues with making healthy food choices, ultimately affecting public health too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-grapefruits with unique sensory properties and potential health benefits provide added value to fruit wine production. This study aimed to explore consumers’ fruit wine preferences and descriptors for the varied fruit wines. First, 234 consumers participated in an online survey concerning their preferences for different wines (grape, blueberry, hawthorn, goji, Rosa roxburghii, and apricot). In addition, their attitudes towards general health interests, food neophobia, alcoholic drinks, and sweetness were collected. Grape wine and blueberry wine were the most favored wines, and goji wine was the least liked fruit wine sample. Moreover, 89 consumers were invited to evaluate 10 commercial fruit wines by using partial projective mapping based on appearance, aroma, and flavor (including taste and mouthfeel) to obtain a comprehensive sensory characterization. Multifactor analysis results showed that consumers could differentiate the fruit wines. Participants preferred fruit wines with “sweet”, “sour”, and “balanced fragrance”, whereas “bitter”, “astringent”, “deep appearance”, and “medicinal fragrance” were not preferred. Attitudes toward health, food neophobia, alcohol, and sweetness had less influence than taste and aroma (sensory attributes) on the preferences for fruit wine products. More frequent self-reported wine usage resulted in higher consumption frequency and liking ratings compared to non-users. Overall, the main factors influencing consumer preference for fruit wines were the sensory characteristics of the products, especially the taste.

The preservation of our planet's decreasing biodiversity is a global challenge. Human attitudes and preferences toward animals have profound impacts on conservation policies and decisions. To date, the vast majority of studies about human attitudes and concern toward animals have focused largely on western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic (i.e., WEIRD) populations. In order to mitigate biodiversity loss globally, an understanding of how humans make decisions about animals from multicultural perspectives is needed. The present study examines familiarity, liking and endorsement of government protection amongst six broad cultural groups living in Qatar for five threatened animal species indigenous to the Arabian Gulf. Our findings highlight similarities and differences across cultures toward animals. Overall, familiarity did not predict endorsement for government protection after liking was accounted for. Liking, however, emerged as an important predictor of endorsement for government protection across cultures, although the degree of animal liking varied culturally. WEIRD and South East Asian participants showed similar and more positive attitudes toward animals compared to the other groups. Participants from the Arabian Gulf, Sub-Saharan Africa, Middle East and North Africa, and South Asia responded similarly toward the animals. Interestingly, the Arabian Gulf group demonstrated significantly less liking and protection endorsement for animals, including those animals which play an important role in their culture. This research highlights intriguing avenues for future research and points to liking as a possible universal human attitude toward animals that influences decision making about conservation across all cultures while suggesting applications for improving education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addictive-like eating is prevalent, but a clear conceptualization and operationalization outside of an addiction framework is lacking. By adopting a biopsychological framework of food reward, this study sought to develop and evaluate a brief self-report questionnaire for the trait assessment of hedonic overeating and dyscontrol. Items in the Hedonic Overeating–Questionnaire (HEDO–Q) were constructed following a rational approach and psychometrically evaluated in a large random sample from the German population (N = 2531). A confirmatory factor analysis supported the unidimensional nature of the six-item HEDO–Q with the three postulated components of wanting, liking, and dyscontrol. Psychometric properties were favorable with good corrected item-total correlations, acceptable item difficulty and homogeneity, and high internal consistency. Population norms were provided. The HEDO–Q revealed strict measurement invariance for sex and partial invariance for age and weight status. Discriminant validity was demonstrated in distinguishing participants with versus without eating disturbances or obesity. Associations with the established measures of eating disorder and general psychopathology supported the convergent and divergent validity of the HEDO–Q. This first evaluation indicates good psychometric properties of the HEDO–Q in the general population. Future validation work is warranted on the HEDO–Q's stability, sensitivity to change, and predictive and construct validity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]