Sensitive and Critical Periods of food

Question 1

Who developed the theory around the Sensitive and Critical periods of food

Answer 1

Gillian Harris, 2017

Question 2

What is the Sensitive Period

Answer 2

The Sensitive Period is the stage where the brain is receptive to the effects of experience. The experience of different tastes/textures instructs the neural circuits to process information in such as way as to be adaptive. Learning after this period can occur but it takes extra energy

Question 3

What is the Critical Period

Answer 3

The Critical Period suggests that new skills must be learned in this period, if they are not then they will never be learned or acquired. There are not many examples of these but depth perception can be one.

Question 4

What are the first flavours that tend to develop

Answer 4

Sweet, salty, sour and umami

Question 5

Why are bitter tastes harder to introduce

Answer 5

because bitter tastes are usually associated with poison e.g. broccoli, cabbage, sprouts

Question 6

How is taste learnt

Answer 6

through exposure

Question 7

What taste do babies have a preference for

Answer 7

Sweet flavours

Question 8

Why does Harris argue that it is important for the child to have different textures

Answer 8

It is important for children to have exposure to different textures as it helps to desensitise the oral area. It also helps with the development of oro-motor skills. The opportunity for new textures is 6-12 months

Question 9

At what age is the opportunity for new textures in children

Answer 9

6-12 months

Question 10

At what age will children start to recognise food by appearance

Answer 10

1-2 years

Question 11

What is neophobia

Answer 11

This is where children will start to reject new foods and some previously accepted foods

Question 12

What can behaviours can reinforce neophobia

Answer 12

Forcing, bribing and hiding foods