Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol 15, Issue 2 147-153, Copyright © 1996 by American College of Nutrition

JOURNAL ARTICLE

From asparagus to zucchini: mapping cognitive space for vegetable names

A. Drewnowski
Human Nutrition Program, School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To map the perceptual space for 20 common vegetables using multidimensional scaling (MDS) techniques. METHODS: The subjects, 150 adult men and women, were asked to judge the similarity of pairs of vegetable names and rate their compatibility when served together. The subjects also rated the vegetables along 30 attribute scales and rated their preferences for each item. Data analyses employed SINDSCAL and property-fitting (PROFIT) programs as well as correlation and hierarchical clustering (HICLUS) analyses. RESULTS: The principal dimensions of perceptual space for vegetable names were calories, color, and convenience. Preferences were most strongly linked to convenience and versatility. Liking was also influenced by taste: the most disliked vegetables were those that were perceived as bitter. Compatibility was most strongly influenced by color contrast. The most acceptable vegetable pairs were those that combined green and non-green vegetables. CONCLUSIONS: Identifying psychological rules that guide the inclusion of vegetables in the diet may facilitate behavioral change strategies aimed at increasing fruit and vegetable consumption by the American public.

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