Summary: Viewing other people’s facial reactions while they eat raw broccoli alters women’s reported liking of the vegetable but does not change their immediate desire to eat it. Researchers compared the effects of positive, neutral and negative expressions shown while models consumed raw broccoli to understand how social cues shape food attitudes.
The study found that negative, disgust-like facial expressions produced by others reduced adult women’s liking of broccoli, highlighting how observing aversion can shape food preferences. The results underline the influence of social modelling on eating behavior and suggest potential consequences for how children form attitudes toward vegetables when exposed to caregivers’ negative reactions.
Key Facts:
- Watching others display negative facial expressions while eating raw broccoli lowers adults’ reported liking of the vegetable.
- The research focused on young women to explore possible gender-related differences in social modelling of eating behavior.
- These findings point to potential implications for children’s acceptance of vegetables when exposed to parental or caregiver food dislike.
Source: Frontiers
Humans learn which actions are beneficial and which to avoid by observing others. This process extends to eating: people often use social cues to decide what to eat and how much to consume. Social modelling—using others’ behavior as a guide—is a major influence on eating choices, particularly for unfamiliar or disliked foods.
A team of researchers in the UK explored whether seeing someone’s facial response while they ate raw broccoli would change how much young women liked the vegetable and whether it affected their immediate desire to eat it. The study appears in Frontiers in Psychology and was led by Dr Katie Edwards from the Aston University School of Psychology.
In the study, slightly more than 200 young women viewed a series of short video clips showing unfamiliar adults eating raw broccoli. Each model in the clips displayed one of three facial expressions while eating: positive (smiling), neutral, or negative (disgust-like). Participants rated both how much they liked broccoli and how much they wanted to eat it after watching the videos.
The researchers deliberately concentrated on women because previous literature suggests modelling effects can vary by gender, and they wanted to control for these differences when testing the impact of facial cues on food preference. The team found a clear asymmetry in the effects of observed reactions: negative expressions led to a notable drop in liking ratings, while positive expressions did not produce a corresponding increase in liking or in the immediate desire to eat the vegetable.
Dr Edwards commented that observing someone express disgust while eating a vegetable seems to have a stronger and more consistent influence than observing enjoyment. One possible explanation is that aversive reactions serve an adaptive protective function—avoiding foods that appear distasteful or potentially harmful. Another possibility is that overt displays of pleasure while eating an unfamiliar vegetable are less convincing to adult observers, who may view smiling while chewing as an atypical or ambiguous indicator of genuine liking.
Why positive modelling may be less effective
The absence of an increase in liking or eating desire after watching positive expressions suggests that simply showing enjoyment may not be a reliable strategy to boost vegetable acceptance among adults. Smiling while eating could be misinterpreted or dismissed, whereas negative, disgust-like expressions communicate a clearer signal to avoid the food. The researchers note this asymmetry as an important consideration for interventions aimed at improving vegetable intake.
Implications for children and future research
Although this study tested adult women, the findings have potential relevance for children. Young children are often more hesitant to try vegetables and are highly responsive to parental cues. If a child observes a parent or caregiver displaying disgust toward vegetables, that social cue could undermine the child’s willingness to try and accept those foods. The authors recommend further work to directly test whether negative modelling has a comparable or stronger impact on children’s vegetable acceptance.
This experiment used video clips to capture the dynamic facial movements that occur while someone eats, providing a more realistic stimulus than static photos. However, the researchers acknowledge the need for follow-up studies that examine live, in-person interactions and the effect of observed expressions on actual vegetable intake rather than self-reported liking or desire. Such work would clarify whether the shifts in attitudes documented here translate into measurable changes in consumption.
Overall, the study highlights that negative facial reactions observed during eating are a powerful social signal that can reduce adults’ reported liking for a vegetable. By contrast, positive facial cues alone may be insufficient to increase liking or immediate eating desire. Understanding these social dynamics can inform strategies to encourage healthier eating, particularly where caregiver behavior influences children’s food preferences.
About this food preference and psychology research news
Author: Deborah Pirchner
Source: Frontiers
Contact: Deborah Pirchner – Frontiers
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: The findings will appear in Frontiers in Psychology