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The Psychology of Flavour

Online ISBN:
9780191724008
Print ISBN:
9780199539352
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
Book

The Psychology of Flavour

Richard Stevenson
Richard Stevenson
Associate Professor of Experimental Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
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Published online:
1 February 2010
Published in print:
30 April 2009
Online ISBN:
9780191724008
Print ISBN:
9780199539352
Publisher:
Oxford University Press

Abstract

Flavour is arguably the most fascinating aspect of eating and drinking. It utilises a complex variety of senses and processes, that incredibly work together to generate a unified, and hopefully pleasurable, experience. The processes involved are not just those involved in tasting at the time of eating, but also memory and learning processes — we obviously shun those foods of which we have a negative memory, and favour those we enjoy. Our understanding of the science of flavour has improved in recent years, benefiting psychology, cuisine, food science, oenology, and dietetics. This book describes what is known about the psychology and biology of flavour. The book is divided into two parts. The first explores what we know about the flavour system; including the role of learning and memory in flavour perception and hedonics; the way in which all the senses that contribute to flavour interact, and our ability to perceive flavour as a whole and as a series of parts. The later chapters examine a range of theoretical issues concerning the flavour system. This includes a look at multisensory processing, and the way in which the mind and brain bind information from discrete sensory systems. It also examines the broader implications of studying flavour for societal problems such as obesity.

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