Eating with Familiar Friends Decreases the Electrical Taste Threshold

Communal eating reportedly induces changes in food-related behaviors such as increased consumption and alleviation of indefinite complaints. Here, we examined the influence of intimacy with co-eaters on the palatability of the food and the physiological taste thresholds. The study was a single-blind crossover trial with 16 healthy women aged 18 - 19 years (two close friends × 8) as participants. We examined the effect of four preset conditions with regard to taste (condition 1 = tasting alone;condition 2 = tasting with a friend;condition 3 = tasting with three unfamiliar individuals;condition 4 = tasting with a friend and two unfamiliar individuals). Electrical taste thresholds were measured pre-and post-eating. The subjective evaluation of taste did not show any significant difference between the four conditions (p > 0.05). However, the electrical taste threshold significantly decreased when eating with close friends (p < 0.05). As a factor associated with the meal environment, co-eating with family or friends appears to influence tastiness;however, in the present study, it showed no effect on the perception of taste. Nevertheless, eating with friends significantly decreased the electrical taste threshold and enhanced the perception of taste. Decrease in the electrical taste threshold was observed only when eating with a close friend;it was not observed when eating with other people and showed no association with the total number of individuals co-eating.

Relationship between the Influence of Others’ Opinions on Taste during Co-Eating and the Empathy of Individuals

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the opinions of people eating together affect the taste of the foods they eat. In addition, if the opinions of others influence taste for one of the people eating with them, are the others’ opinions related to the empathy of individuals? Finally, this study was also intended to consider whether the taste threshold changes depending on the opinions of others. Twelve healthy young women (aged 18.4 ± 0.8 years;mean ± SD) participated in the present study. The participants tasted bread under three conditions: 1) quiet condition: a participant ate with three quiet persons, 2) positive condition: a participant ate with three persons who were talking favorably about taste, and 3) negative condition: a participant ate with three persons who were talking negatively about the taste. The electrical taste threshold was tested before and after tasting the bread, and a visual analog scale (VAS) was completed immediately after the tasting. Before the first trial, participants were asked to complete the Interpersonal Reactive Index (IRI). In the positive condition, the taste score increased significantly compared with the negative condition. There was no significant relationship between taste and empathic concern. To our knowledge, taste changed according to the comments of other people who were eating together. However, the change in taste due to the other’s speech was not related to the individual’s empathy. The results of the present study suggest that people experience food as delicious when others eating with them comment about the food being “delicious,” and this tendency did not depend on individuals’ empathy.

Satiety Relaxes Thinness Criteria When Judging Others’ Body Shapes

While people might endorse tolerance, social/environmental biases can remain operative and drive action in an unconscious manner. Herein, we investigated whether the criteria for judging others’ body shapes as “fat” or “thin” change with the degree of satiety. Nine females participated in the present study. The participants judged nine women’s figures as fat or skinny on a computer monitor in two conditions (Fasting and Satiety). Each figure ranged in body mass index (BMI) from 18.3 to 45.4 (i.e., 18.3, 19.3, 20.9, 23.1, 26.2, 29.9, 34.3, 38.6, and 45.4). Parameter estimates showed that a one-unit change in condition (Fasting vs. Satiety) resulted in a 20.0% greater probability of switching from “fat” to “thin” (SE = 0.056, z = 3.631, p < 0.0001). Notably, figures judged as “fat” in the fasting condition were judged as “thin” in the satiety condition. Thus, we concluded that satiety relaxes criteria for judging the thinness of others’ body shapes.