Appearance matters: neural correlates of food choice and packaging aesthetics

Laura N Van der Laan, Denise T D De Ridder, Max A Viergever, Paul A M Smeets

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

83 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Neuro-imaging holds great potential for predicting choice behavior from brain responses. In this study we used both traditional mass-univariate and state-of-the-art multivariate pattern analysis to establish which brain regions respond to preferred packages and to what extent neural activation patterns can predict realistic low-involvement consumer choices. More specifically, this was assessed in the context of package-induced binary food choices. Mass-univariate analyses showed that several regions, among which the bilateral striatum, were more strongly activated in response to preferred food packages. Food choices could be predicted with an accuracy of up to 61.2% by activation patterns in brain regions previously found to be involved in healthy food choices (superior frontal gyrus) and visual processing (middle occipital gyrus). In conclusion, this study shows that mass-univariate analysis can detect small package-induced differences in product preference and that MVPA can successfully predict realistic low-involvement consumer choices from functional MRI data.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)e41738
JournalPLOS ONE
Volume7
Issue number7
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2012
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Adult
  • Brain/physiology
  • Choice Behavior/physiology
  • Esthetics/psychology
  • Female
  • Food Packaging
  • Food Preferences/physiology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neuroimaging
  • Pattern Recognition, Automated
  • Perception/physiology
  • Young Adult

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