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Batta E, Stephens CR. Evolutionary success of the thrifty genotype depends on both behavioral adaptations and temporal variability in the food environment. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7975. [PMID: 37198171 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33139-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Obesity is a result of a long-term energy imbalance due to decisions associated with energy intake and expenditure. Those decisions fit the definition of heuristics: cognitive processes with a rapid and effortless implementation which can be very effective in dealing with scenarios that threaten an organism's viability. We study the implementation and evaluation of heuristics, and their associated actions, using agent-based simulations in environments where the distribution and degree of richness of energetic resources is varied in space and time. Artificial agents utilize foraging strategies, combining movement, active perception, and consumption, while also actively modifying their capacity to store energy-a "thrifty gene" effect-based on three different heuristics. We show that the selective advantage associated with higher energy storage capacity depends on both the agent's foraging strategy and heuristic, as well as being sensitive to the distribution of resources, with the existence and duration of periods of food abundance and scarcity being crucial. We conclude that a "thrifty genotype" is only beneficial in the presence of behavioral adaptations that encourage overconsumption and sedentariness, as well as seasonality and uncertainty in the food distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erasmo Batta
- Posgrado en Ciencia e Ingeniería de la Computación, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, 04510, México
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, 04510, México
| | - Christopher R Stephens
- Centro de Ciencias de la Complejidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, 04510, México.
- Instituto de Ciencias Nucleares, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico city, 04510, México.
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Spence C. On the manipulation, and meaning(s), of color in food: A historical perspective. J Food Sci 2023; 88:5-20. [PMID: 36579463 DOI: 10.1111/1750-3841.16439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 12/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
While there has long been public concern over the use of artificial/synthetic food colors, it should be remembered that food and drink products (e.g., red wine) have been purposefully colored for millennia. This narrative historical review highlights a number of reasons that food and drink have been colored, including to capture the shopper's visual attention through to signaling the likely taste/flavor. Over the course of the last century, there has, on occasion, also been interest in the playful, or sometimes even deliberately discombobulating, use of food coloring by modernist chefs and others. The coloring (or absence of color) of food and drink can, though, sometimes also take on more of a symbolic meaning, and, in a few cases, specific food colors may acquire a signature, or branded (i.e., semantic) association. That said, with food color being associated with so many different potential "meanings," it is an open question as to which meaning the consumer will associate with any given instance of color in food, and what role context may play in their decision. Laboratory-based sensory science research may not necessarily successfully capture the full range of meanings that may be associated with food color in the mind of the consumer. Nevertheless, it seems likely that food color will continue to play an important role in dictating consumer behavior in the years to come, even though the visual appearance of food is increasingly being mediated via technological means, including virtual and augmented reality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Spence
- Crossmodal Research Laboratory, Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
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Zhang X, Li Y, Chao X, Li Y. Sourness impacts envy and jealousy in Chinese culture. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2023; 87:96-107. [PMID: 35133493 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-022-01652-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, five experiments (N = 233) were designed to explore whether sourness as a sensory experience could implicitly impact social emotions of envy and jealousy in Chinese culture. Experiment 1 (n = 63) explored the implicit conceptual association between sourness words (vs. bitterness words) and envy/jealousy words. Experiment 2 (n = 70) and 3 (n = 20) examined the priming effects of imagined and tasted sourness (vs. bitterness and sweetness) on self-rated emotional intensity in envy- and jealousy-arousing situations, respectively. Experiment 4 (n = 40) and 5 (n = 40) further testified the priming effects of imagined and tasted sourness (vs. bitterness and sweetness) on self-rated emotional intensity in four types of social situations (i.e., envy, jealousy, sad and happy events), respectively. In the results, sourness was found as the only taste that not only conceptually associated with envy/jealousy, but also significantly primed envy/jealousy feelings. The possible mechanism underlying the association of sourness-envy/jealousy was discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinxin Zhang
- Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yaxuan Li
- Department of Psychological Health, DongGuan Light Industry School, DongGuan, China
| | - Xiangyu Chao
- Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yingli Li
- Department of Psychology, Soochow University, Suzhou, 215123, Jiangsu, China.
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Tamura K, Okamoto T. Odor descriptive ratings can predict some odor-color associations in different color features of hue or lightness. PeerJ 2023; 11:e15251. [PMID: 37155465 PMCID: PMC10122842 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Olfactory information can be associated with color information. Researchers have investigated the role of descriptive ratings of odors on odor-color associations. Research into these associations should also focus on the differences in odor types. We aimed to identify the odor descriptive ratings that can predict odor-color corresponding formation, and predict features of the associated colors from the ratings taking into consideration the differences in the odor types. Methods We assessed 13 types of odors and their associated colors in participants with a Japanese cultural background. The associated colors from odors in the CIE L*a*b* space were subjectively evaluated to prevent the priming effect from selecting color patches. We analyzed the data using Bayesian multilevel modeling, which included the random effects of each odor, for investigating the effect of descriptive ratings on associated colors. We investigated the effects of five descriptive ratings, namely Edibility, Arousal, Familiarity, Pleasantness, and Strength on the associated colors. Results The Bayesian multilevel model indicated that the odor description of Edibility was related to the reddish hues of associated colors in three odors. Edibility was related to the yellow hues of colors in the remaining five odors. The Arousal description was related to the yellowish hues in two odors. The Strength of the tested odors was generally related to the color lightness. The present analysis could contribute in investigating the influence of the olfactory descriptive rating that anticipates the associated color for each odor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Tamura
- Department of Information and Systems Engineering, Fukuoka Institute of Technology, Fukuoka, Japan
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Juravle G, Olari EL, Spence C. A taste for beauty: On the expected taste, hardness, texture, and temperature of geometric shapes. Iperception 2022; 13:20416695221120948. [PMID: 36157518 PMCID: PMC9490474 DOI: 10.1177/20416695221120948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Rounded shapes, which have been shown to enhance sweetness, were compared to the perfectly symmetrical Platonic solids. In a first online experiment, participants were presented with a rotating three-dimensional geometric shape (a sphere, the five Platonic solids, and three irregular angular/rounded/naturalistic controls), and indicated their liking for the shape, as well as its perceived hardness, and its expected temperature. The sphere was liked best, followed by the Platonic solids. The sphere was also evaluated as softest, and received the warmest temperature ratings. By contrast, the Platonic solids were rated as harder and significantly colder than the sphere. Experiment 2 investigated whether the liked shapes were also evaluated as looking tastier. Ratings of expected tastiness and the appearance of five shapes selected based on high liking scores and fitted with edible and inedible visual textures were recorded. The sphere was rated as looking tastiest, with edible-textured rounded shapes resulting in significantly tastier ratings. Experiment 3 assessed the taste corresponding to each shape. A sweet and umami preference for rounded shapes was documented, with sour and bitter typically matched to angular shapes. Importantly, the Platonic solids were associated with several tastes. These findings are explained in terms of current theories of crossmodal correspondences, while considering how temperature and texture can be used to modulate expected liking.
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Canbeyli R. Sensory Stimulation Via the Visual, Auditory, Olfactory and Gustatory Systems Can Modulate Mood and Depression. Eur J Neurosci 2021; 55:244-263. [PMID: 34708453 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.15507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Depression is one of the most common mental disorders, predicted to be the leading cause of disease burden by the next decade. There is great deal of emphasis on the central origin and potential therapeutics of depression whereby the symptomatology of depression has been interpreted and treated as brain generated dysfunctions filtering down to the periphery. This top-down approach has found strong support from clinical work and basic neuroscientific research. Nevertheless, despite great advances in our knowledge of the etiology and therapeutics of depression, success in treatment is still by no means assured.. As a consequence, a wide net has been cast by both clinicians and researchers in search of more efficient therapies for mood disorders. As a complementary view, the present integrative review advocates approaching mood and depression from the opposite perspective: a bottom-up view that starts from the periphery. Specifically, evidence is provided to show that sensory stimulation via the visual, auditory, olfactory and gustatory systems can modulate depression. The review shows how -depending on several parameters- unisensory stimulation via these modalities can ameliorate or aggravate depressive symptoms. Moreover, the review emphasizes the bidirectional relationship between sensory stimulation and depression. Just as peripheral stimulation can modulate depression, depression in turn affects-and in most cases impairs-sensory reception. Furthermore, the review suggests that combined use of multisensory stimulation may have synergistic ameliorative effects on depressive symptoms over and above what has so far been documented for unisensory stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Resit Canbeyli
- Behavioral Neuroscience Laboratory, Department of Psychology, Boğaziçi University
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Neurogastronomy as a Tool for Evaluating Emotions and Visual Preferences of Selected Food Served in Different Ways. Foods 2021; 10:foods10020354. [PMID: 33562287 PMCID: PMC7914587 DOI: 10.3390/foods10020354] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The appearance of food provides certain expectations regarding the harmonization of taste, delicacy, and overall quality, which subsequently affects not only the intake itself but also many other features of the behavior of customers of catering facilities. The main goal of this article is to find out what effect the visual design of food (waffles) prepared from the same ingredients and served in three different ways-a stone plate, street food style, and a white classic plate-has on the consumer's preferences. In addition to the classic tablet assistance personal interview (TAPI) tools, biometric methods such as eye tracking and face reading were used in order to obtain unconscious feedback. During testing, air quality in the room by means of the Extech device and the influence of the visual design of food on the perception of its smell were checked. At the end of the paper, we point out the importance of using classical feedback collection techniques (TAPI) and their extension in measuring subconscious reactions based on monitoring the eye movements and facial expressions of the respondents, which provides a whole new perspective on the perception of visual design and serving food as well as more effective targeting and use of corporate resources.
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Redondo N, Gómez-Martínez S, Marcos A. Sensory attributes of soft drinks and their influence on consumers' preferences. Food Funct 2015; 5:1686-94. [PMID: 24939599 DOI: 10.1039/c4fo00181h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Soft drinks are beverages composed of water and other ingredients that provide specific sensorial attributes. Soft drink consumption patterns have recently been changed partially influenced by an increased availability of different types of beverages during the last few years. Consumers' preferences to choose one drink over another are influenced, not only by genetic, psychological and environmental factors, but also by the beverage's specific attributes. In fact, beverage consumption is driven by the sensations it gives. Because the main component of soft drinks is water, an increase in the intake of soft drinks might improve fluid intake and the levels of water in the body if it is regarded as an "essential nutrient".
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemí Redondo
- Immunonutrition Research Group, Department of Metabolism and Nutrition, Institute of Food Science and Technology and Nutrition (ICTAN), Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), Jose Antonio Novais Street, 10, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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Tomita S, Terao Y, Hatano T, Nishimura R. Subtotal glossectomy preserving half the tongue base prevents taste disorder in patients with tongue cancer. Int J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2014; 43:1042-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijom.2014.02.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2013] [Revised: 01/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/17/2014] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Food preference and intake in response to ambient odours in overweight and normal-weight females. Physiol Behav 2014; 133:190-6. [DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2014.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2013] [Revised: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 05/07/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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The influence of bubbles on the perception carbonation bite. PLoS One 2013; 8:e71488. [PMID: 23990956 PMCID: PMC3749224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 06/28/2013] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Although many people naively assume that the bite of carbonation is due to tactile stimulation of the oral cavity by bubbles, it has become increasingly clear that carbonation bite comes mainly from formation of carbonic acid in the oral mucosa. In Experiment 1, we asked whether bubbles were in fact required to perceive carbonation bite. Subjects rated oral pungency from several concentrations of carbonated water both at normal atmospheric pressure (at which bubbles could form) and at 2.0 atmospheres pressure (at which bubbles did not form). Ratings of carbonation bite under the two pressure conditions were essentially identical, indicating that bubbles are not required for pungency. In Experiment 2, we created controlled streams of air bubbles around the tongue in mildly pungent CO2 solutions to determine how tactile stimulation from bubbles affects carbonation bite. Since innocuous sensations like light touch and cooling often suppress pain, we predicted that bubbles might reduce rated bite. Contrary to prediction, air bubbles flowing around the tongue significantly enhanced rated bite, without inducing perceived bite in blank (un-carbonated) solutions. Accordingly, though bubbles are clearly not required for carbonation bite, they may well modulate perceived bite. More generally, the results show that innocuous tactile stimulation can enhance chemogenic pain. Possible physiological mechanisms are discussed.
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Gagnon L, Kupers R, Ptito M. Reduced Taste Sensitivity in Congenital Blindness. Chem Senses 2013; 38:509-17. [DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjt021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
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de Boer A, Ter Horst GJ, Lorist MM. Physiological and psychosocial age-related changes associated with reduced food intake in older persons. Ageing Res Rev 2013; 12:316-28. [PMID: 22974653 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2012.08.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 08/02/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Dietary intake changes during the course of aging. Normally an increase in food intake is observed around 55 years of age, which is followed by a reduction in food intake in individuals over 65 years of age. This reduction in dietary intake results in lowered levels of body fat and body weight, a phenomenon known as anorexia of aging. Anorexia of aging has a variety of consequences, including a decline in functional status, impaired muscle function, decreased bone mass, micronutrient deficiencies, reduced cognitive functions, increased hospital admission and even premature death. Several changes during lifetime have been implicated to play a role in the reduction in food intake and the development of anorexia of aging. These changes are both physiological, involving peripheral hormones, senses and central brain regulation and non-physiological, with differences in psychological and social factors. In the present review, we will focus on age-related changes in physiological and especially non-physiological factors, that play a role in the age-related changes in food intake and in the etiology of anorexia of aging. At the end we conclude with suggestions for future nutritional research to gain greater understanding of the development of anorexia of aging which could lead to earlier detection and better prevention.
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