Neophobia + Taste Aversion

Question 1

What is Neophobia

Answer 1

Unwillingness to try new foods

Question 2

what age is neophobia most common

Answer 2

2-5 years old

Question 3

what is the evolutionary explanation for neophobia

Answer 3

ancestors were scared to eat poisonous food

Question 4

study of neophobia
(Birch 1999)

Answer 4

during an exploration period of development - untried foods are avoided as they are seen as unsafe

Question 5

what is Taste Aversion
(Seligman)

Answer 5

we are genetically hardwired to avoid foods that make us/ feel ill

Question 6

why do we have taste aversion

Answer 6

means we are less likely to eat bad/ harmful food

Question 7

Garcia Koelling (1966) - taste aversion

Answer 7

rats made averse to sweet solution (poison added)
- electric shock in place of poison was less effective - stronger than classical conditioning

Question 8

Steiner - Taste Aversion

Answer 8

bitterness - disliked by babies
- associated with ‘bad food’
- innate defence mechanism

Question 9

Birch and Marlin (1982) - neo

Answer 9

2 year old - 6 weeks exposure to food increases tolerance
8-10 exposures needed - ingrained

Question 10

Martins (1997) / Fessier (2002)

Answer 10

neophobia = stronger in meats / dairy = more likely to be harmful if bad

Question 11

Knaaplia (2007)

Answer 11

food neophobia scale = 67% of variation in neophobia = genetically determined - evolved among humans

Question 12

Dovey (2008)

Answer 12

we have preconceived perceptions of ‘good food’ - taste smell texture etc.
- anything diff = bad