THE CONTRIBUTION OF PSYCHOLOGICAL AND SENSORY FACTORS TO FOOD PREFERENCE PATTERNS AS MEASURED BY THE FOOD ATTITUDES SURVEY (FAS)

The relationship between food preference patterns and several psycholo gical and sensory variables was assessed using the Food Attitudes Surv ey (FAS). Previous research with the FAS, which consists of preference ratings for a variety of common, unusual and fictitious foods, showed that it provides both reliable and valid information about individual differences in food preferences and attitudes (Frank and van der Klaa uw, 1994). In the studies reported here, significant correlations were found between preferences for a variety of activities (as measured by the Activity Attitudes Survey or ACT) and liking for and willingness to try foods. It was also found that individuals who report that they are unwilling to try many foods are low in general sensation seeking, and that odor pleasantness ratings significantly correlate with liking for and willingness to try foods. No associations were found between FAS performance and general phobic tendencies, optimism/pessimism or d isordered eating. Multiple regression analysis revealed that responses on the ACT, sensation seeking scale, a 20-item food and eating questi onnaire and odor pleasantness judgments could account for from 41 to 6 5% of the variance in food likes, dislikes and willingness to try food s. It was concluded that personality and sensory factors contribute to patterns of responding on the FAS, and that FAS response patterns pro vide an index of both attitudes toward foods and general openness to e xperiences and activities. (C) 1995 Academic Press Limited