Cognitive styles influence eating environment-induced variations in consumer perception of food: A case study with Pad Thai noodle

Nearly every aspect of the eating environment can impact how consumers perceive their meal, including table setting styles. Previous studies have found that consumers have contrasting thinking styles (analytic versus holistic) and these opposing styles induce consumers to process their surroundings divergently. Thus, this study aimed at determining whether the effect of table setting condition on food perception could differ as a function of cognitive style. A total of 138 healthy adults completed this study, with the cognitive style tendencies gathered through a screening questionnaire using the Analysis-Holism Scale (AHS). Participants evaluated a Pad Thai noodle meal in two conditions: a traditional sensory laboratory table setting and a fine dining table setting. Participants evaluated their perception of the samples through categorical scaling and check-all-that-apply (CATA) questions. Mean comparison and correlation models found a significant relationship between participant cognitive style and table setting effect on food perception ratings, indicating a relationship between analytic-holistic tendencies and the effect of the eating environment. Specifically, as participants had stronger holistic associations, the table setting cues impacted food perception ratings more. These findings support prior theoretical research detailing how analytic and holistic individuals will process environmental cues differently, which contributes to a base of knowledge of applying the analytic-holistic theory to consumer-food scenarios. In future sensory studies, findings should elucidate where these analytic and holistic differences are most prominent. Concurrently, this study opens a new door within the robust eating environment research regarding how prior findings in this area can be influenced by consumers' cognitive styles and their cultural backgrounds.