Evidence of a role for conditioning in the development of liking for flavours in humans in everyday life

Abstract

The development of liking for flavours through conditioning has so far been widely demonstrated in the laboratory. The impact of conditioning in the real world however is yet to be reported. This study investigated the development of liking for flavours through conditioning in the real world as part of everyday life. The study investigated the development of liking for four novel flavoured yoghurts paired with energy (high energy/low energy) and energy requirement (high energy requirement/low energy requirement). Liking was assessed before and after conditioning conducted in the laboratory using traditional laboratory procedures and in the real world using new interactive technology. Following conditioning, liking was found to develop for novel flavoured yoghurts when consumed in a state of high energy requirement. Furthermore, effects were comparable in the laboratory and in the real world. These findings suggest that likings for flavours can be conditioned in the real world as part of every day life as well as in the laboratory. This finding suggests that conditioning is a useful and valid explanation for the development of likings for flavours in everyday life. © 2006 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.