Plate shape and colour interact to influence taste and quality judgments
Stewart and Goss re-examined whether plate colour affects taste, this time alongside plate shape and using plates with more angular corners than earlier work. Using a two-by-two between-subjects design, black against white and round against square, they collected sweetness, intensity, quality and liking ratings of cheesecake. The results split by type of judgment. Simple elemental properties, sweetness and flavour intensity, and higher-level compound properties, food quality and liking, were differentially influenced by the interaction of plate colour and plate shape. Both kinds of judgment were heightened by white round plates, while compound judgments were also increased by black square plates. The authors conclude that plate colour and shape influence taste perception, and not in a straightforward manner, since the influence depends on the interaction of the two variables. This publication cites the paper as the best argument against any simple plateware rule of the kind that reaches the trade press.
Stewart and Goss re-examined whether plate colour affects taste, this time alongside plate shape and using plates with more angular corners than earlier work. Using a two-by-two between-subjects design, black against white and round against square, they collected sweetness, intensity, quality and liking ratings of cheesecake. The results split by type of judgment. Simple elemental properties, sweetness and flavour intensity, and higher-level compound properties, food quality and liking, were differentially influenced by the interaction of plate colour and plate shape. Both kinds of judgment were heightened by white round plates, while compound judgments were also increased by black square plates. The authors conclude that plate colour and shape influence taste perception, and not in a straightforward manner, since the influence depends on the interaction of the two variables. This publication cites the paper as the best argument against any simple plateware rule of the kind that reaches the trade press.
Written from the abstract, OpenAlex.
What our sources record
Reproduced as it was written when this source was checked, figures and all.
2, 27. Elemental judgments raised by white round plates; compound judgments also raised by black square plates; the authors conclude the influence is not straightforward. doi:10.1186/2044-7248-2-27
Where we use it
- Why Your Coffee Tastes Different in a White Cup, Why We Crave
Reliability of this reference
The link below was matched against the publisher's record on title, first author and year, and all three agree.
The source
https://doi.org/10.1186/2044-7248-2-27
DOI: 10.1186/2044-7248-2-27