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The effects of liking norms and descriptive norms on vegetable consumption: A randomized experiment
This 2016 study aimed to find out how certain messages and conditions can affect food intake from a buffet in both low- and high-consumers of vegetables. Several factors were investigated, including the impact of the liking norm (where information about others’ liking for a food is known). Immediate food selection was examined as well as food choices 24 hours after exposure. Other conditions included descriptive norm (effect of others’ behaviors), health message, vegetable variety condition, and neutral control message. The food buffet consisted of three raw vegetables, three energy-dense foods, and two dips. Although there was a link identified between the message condition and habitual vegetable consumption, there was no indication of significant effects in the follow-up tests. Looking at each food individually, there was an interesting interaction involving broccoli. Participants who normally did not previously eat high amounts of vegetables showed increased intake of broccoli in the vegetable variety and liking norm conditions (when others demonstrated their liking), when compared with themselves in the neutral control condition. This study encourages further analysis of the liking norm and vegetable variety conditions, and their influence on vegetable intake. [NPID: diet, vegetables, nutrition, liking norm, perception, influence, behavior, food choice, raw vegetables]
Year: 2016
