The effect of choice and psychographics on the acceptability of novel flavors

This study investigated the effect of consumer test format (choice versus no choice) and food neophobia and acceptability of novel flavors of salad dressing. Half of the subjects chose the salad dressings from a list (choice test) while the other half were randomly assigned dressings (no choice test). Having respondents choose a product(s) was associated with higher hedonic ratings, and neophilics tended to score products higher. Neophobics scored products similarly to neophilics under a no choice test format, whereas neophilics responded higher with choice. These results demonstrate the enhancing effect of providing choice to consumers in food evaluations. Prior research showed that choice was associated with higher ratings; the present results demonstrate that psychological factors such as neophobia play an important interactive role in these responses and might function in a broader manner than simply affecting responses to novelty.