The demographics of neophobia in a large commercial US sample

Neophobia was measured with two large (n = 1567 and n = 6843) commercial samples of US consumers on a 5-point Food Neophobia Scale. Results were compared with demographic data collected in other samples in the US and in other countries. Gender effects remain unclear; while neophobia appears to increase with age, while decreasing with increasing education and with increasing income. Results are explained by an increased exposure to foods with increasing income and education.