Abstract
The physical context of food consumption has in recent years been recognised as an important facet of shaping the eating experience. Many research efforts have been invested in determining how specific environmental factors can influence food behaviours, in particular with the intent on transforming this knowledge into interventions that may nudge specific behaviours or encourage greater spending. On the whole, every element can and will, to some extent, contribute to the ways in which we behave around food; yet one environmental component has attracted considerable recognition as a powerful influence: music.
Much scientific evidence has documented effects of music on food and flavour perception, as well as on food purchasing and restaurant behaviour. However, there has been less consolidated investment by researchers and practitioners in utilising music as a sensory cue to specifically promote healthier eating, such as moderating behaviours involved in eating (e.g., eating rate), attitudes towards certain foods (desire and motivation), or the experience of enjoyment during eating, which are crucial elements in overall food health. As research has shown, music requires minimal resources to function effectively: it is accessible and customisable via countless platforms, relatively inexpensive to acquire, and most people experience great enjoyment from listening to music. This renders it a very attractive resource to explore as a potential staple element in the design of future healthy eating environments.
Across three thematically delineated domains of inquiry, the present thesis addresses the question of how music can be implemented in eating environments to influence responses to food and eating. Specifically, it investigates musical influences on eating actions and behaviour; motivation, desire, and expectations towards food; and the social dynamics of commensal eating in hospitals. Four main studies were conducted to investigate these aims incorporating a breadth of methodological approaches, including two quantitative controlled consumer studies, one online questionnaire-based experiment, and one mixed-method qualitative and quantitative interventional field study comprising interviews, participant observations, and instrumental acoustic data.
The findings of this research show that slower (relative to faster) tempo increases eating time and meal duration independent of other factors; that specific combinations of music types and physical contextual cues associated with emotional and/or sematic concepts increase desire and consummatory expectations; and that mealtime music improves the physical and social wellbeing of communal eaters in hospital dining environments.
Collectively, the present thesis advances the theoretical and methodological prospects for research around auditory influences on human eating experiences, and offers practical insights for future design of musical meals.
Much scientific evidence has documented effects of music on food and flavour perception, as well as on food purchasing and restaurant behaviour. However, there has been less consolidated investment by researchers and practitioners in utilising music as a sensory cue to specifically promote healthier eating, such as moderating behaviours involved in eating (e.g., eating rate), attitudes towards certain foods (desire and motivation), or the experience of enjoyment during eating, which are crucial elements in overall food health. As research has shown, music requires minimal resources to function effectively: it is accessible and customisable via countless platforms, relatively inexpensive to acquire, and most people experience great enjoyment from listening to music. This renders it a very attractive resource to explore as a potential staple element in the design of future healthy eating environments.
Across three thematically delineated domains of inquiry, the present thesis addresses the question of how music can be implemented in eating environments to influence responses to food and eating. Specifically, it investigates musical influences on eating actions and behaviour; motivation, desire, and expectations towards food; and the social dynamics of commensal eating in hospitals. Four main studies were conducted to investigate these aims incorporating a breadth of methodological approaches, including two quantitative controlled consumer studies, one online questionnaire-based experiment, and one mixed-method qualitative and quantitative interventional field study comprising interviews, participant observations, and instrumental acoustic data.
The findings of this research show that slower (relative to faster) tempo increases eating time and meal duration independent of other factors; that specific combinations of music types and physical contextual cues associated with emotional and/or sematic concepts increase desire and consummatory expectations; and that mealtime music improves the physical and social wellbeing of communal eaters in hospital dining environments.
Collectively, the present thesis advances the theoretical and methodological prospects for research around auditory influences on human eating experiences, and offers practical insights for future design of musical meals.
| Original language | English |
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| Qualification | PhD |
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| Award date | 9 Aug 2022 |
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| Publication status | Published - 9 Aug 2022 |