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A Method to Measure the Effect of Food Appearance As Visually Perceived by the

Senior High School Students of Sumulong Memorial High School

A research presented to the faculty of

Sumulong Memorial High School

Antipolo City

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for

Practical Research 2

Callanta, Blessilda Grace D.

Briones, Gabrielle Mae F.

Cruz, Shaine Cyrelle C.


1. INTRODUCTION

Children are known for being “picky” eaters, but adolescents, on the other hand, can be

equally fastidious when it comes to what they eat. This is influenced due to hunger by

simply eating what is available or for their own convenience and time consideration,

food cravings, parental and peer influences as well as the effects of media whether by

choosing food or eating behaviors, benefits from the food they eat, mood, desired body

image, cost, and most importantly the appeal of the food (Sztainer et. al., 1999, p. 929).

Food presentation is one of the most important thing in the food business, simply

because this is what will attract the customers to buy such good/s as well as the

consumption of it in the body. There is a huge possibility that customers will be

discouraged to consume a certain product if it is not visually well presented (Fiszman &

Spence, April 2012). Although there are still instances that appearance of the food won’t

matter if it smells good. (Seeing the flavour of food, April 2013).

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

“First taste is almost always with the eye”. A study conducted by Holmberg, Chaplin,

Hillman and Berg (1 April 2016) showed that adolescents in social media posts

photographs of food like it is from a cookbook, which are usually visually pleasing to

eye. According to Acree, the appearance of the food matters even before it is tasted or

smelt. Although, visually, gustatory and/or olfactory, it still sends signals to the brain in

order to determine whether a person likes it or not this is because the selection of food

is guided by the visual system in the brain (van der Laan, de Ridder, Viergever &

Smeets, 25 November 2010).


Moreover, this study aims to know

(1) The visual preferences of the senior high school respondents of SMHS in terms of

food appearance and presentation. If the food appearance will affect as to how the

respondents will choose. The respondents will be given a different visual presentation of

foods. Visual presentation varies with color, plating, and portion size.

(2) Background variables such as hunger state, gender, age and social class

(3) To know how many percentages of the respondents think that food appearance

matters in terms of choosing food.

1.2 REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter contains the review of related literature collected by the researchers to

prove the credibility and relevance of the study, discussing the arguments, facts, and

reasons in order to fully understand the research’s message and for the better

comprehension of the topic.

A study performed by Hashimoto, Mori, Funatomi, Mukonoki, Kakusho & Minoh

(December 2010) stated that people nowadays are able to track almost anything either

people or animals etc. What if we are able to track food materials from the time that they

are harvested to the time that they are cooked? This would help show what are the

different processes to make certain food and how the food material has changed in

appearance.
The color of the food can influence how a person thinks a certain food will taste. For

example, a viand that is filled with colorful vegetables alongside a viand that is plain in

appearance, chances are customers will choose the one that has more color. This is

because color attracts the eyes which will draw the customer towards the food. Even if

they haven’t tasted it yet it will make them curious and try the food (Spence, Levitan,

Shankar & Zampini, 9 March 2010). Clydesdale (February 1991), also thinks that color

is indeed important in the presentation of food because the sense of sight will lead to

the appearance of the product that will compare either colorful or dull.

On the other hand, according to Zellner, Lankford, Ambrose & Locher (2010), color of

the food won’t guarantee that a person will choose the food. It may help in highlighting it

but it will still be on how the food is presented.

A person’s environment can influence his preferences in food. It can also be influenced

by his income and his culture. What a person sees frequently will make him want to buy

it for his consumption. (Drewnowski, July 1997).

Appearance will affect how a person thinks the food will taste like. The texture of the

food can affect how one thinks a food may taste. Example is if a person have not tasted

the food yet but can see that the texture is coarse that person may already be thinking

of how it will taste (Okajima & Spence, 1 October 2011).

Mooney & Walbourn (December 2000). Studies show that there are different reasons on

why people may reject eating certain types of food.


Examples include religion, community background, and etc. The appearance or

presentation of the food doesn't necessarily cause the aversion to it.

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

● How many students think that food appearance matters in terms of food

selection?

● Who among the respondents thinks that the appearance of food matters in terms

of choosing food? Male or female?

1.4 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

As studied by Imram in 1999, the sensory attributes in the brain transmits the

appearance of food in the central integration (brain) which involves cultural influences,

psychosocial influences and body states it will then either be accepted or not by the

brain that will lead to the consumer's behavior of what he/she will do with the food.

Bodily state:
Huger/thirst

Situational
Variable

Consequence of
behavior
1.5 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

On the first box, those are the factors that influences whether they will choose to eat a

food or not. On the second box if the person sees the food colorful or pleasing they will

choose it. On the third box if the person likes the food they will choose it.

Origin; Gender;
Food
presentation;
Visual Food
Food appearance; Preference choice
Level of hunger

2. METHODOLOGY

In this chapter you will see the methods and techniques of the researchers which were

used to finish this research in a short period of time.

This research aims to determine how many students think that food appearance matters

in terms of food selection (male or female).

Visual presentation of foods was used as a tool to get opinions from the respondents.

This has been attached together with the survey-questionnaire.

To have a useful and necessary data, the researchers used a quantitative research

(descriptive) that needs statistical analysis. There are 50 randomly selected

respondents who answered the survey-questionnaire.

The respondents are composed of 50 senior high school students of SMHS.


2.1 RESEARCH DESIGN

This research utilized quantitative research (descriptive) that determines the

significance between the method that measure the effect of food appearance in which is

the independent variable and the visually perception of food which is the dependent

variable. The researchers randomly choose fifty students that will represent the whole

population and will answer the survey-questionnaire given to them.

2.2 SETTING

The research has been conducted at Sumulong Memorial High School where the

researchers found fifty students who voluntarily answered the given research instrument

truthfully and with no bias.

2.3 PARTICIPANTS

The Senior high school students of SMHS. 15-19 years of age.

In total, 50 respondents were selected.

2.4 INSTRUMENTS

The researchers used a questionnaire/survey based research design because it is the

most appropriate type of data-gathering method to answer the given research

questions. This includes the visuals of food that has been used to get opinions from the

respondents.
The respondents will be categorized according to their ‘grade’ (11th and 12th) which is

the segmentation factor. Each respondent was given a chance to look at the product: 8

visually different meals with the same content but different in terms of color and portion

size.

PRODUCT CODES FACTORS OF FOOD APPEARANCE:


colorful/dull, plating & portion size

000 Dull, normal plating, small

001 Dull, normal plating, large

010 Dull, fancy plating, small

011 Dull, fancy plating, large

100 Colorful, normal plating, small

101 Colorful, normal plating, large

110 Colorful, fancy plating, small

111 Colorful, fancy plating, large

2.5 PROCEDURE

The researchers were approved by the head of the senior high department to perform a

survey at Sumulong Memorial High School.

The researchers will give the respondents a very short description about their research

and instructions on how to answer the survey.

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