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I’ll have what she’s having: the impact of model characteristics on children’s food choices
Author(s) -
Frazier Brandy N.,
Gelman Susan A.,
Kaciroti Niko,
Russell Joshua W.,
Lumeng Julie C.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2011.01106.x
Subject(s) - psychology , affect (linguistics) , developmental psychology , food choice , white (mutation) , race (biology) , snack food , social psychology , food science , communication , medicine , biochemistry , chemistry , botany , pathology , biology , gene
This research investigates children’s use of social categories in their food selection. Across three studies, we presented preschoolers with sets of photographs that contrasted food‐eating models with different characteristics, including model gender, race (Black, White), age (child or adult), and/or expression (acceptance or rejection of the food). Children were asked to pick between the photographs to choose which food they would like for snack. Results demonstrated that preschoolers prefer foods being eaten by models with positive over negative expressions, foods being eaten by child over adult models, and foods being eaten by child models of the same gender as themselves over models of the other gender. This work connects with previous research on children’s understanding of social categories and also has important practical implications for how characteristics of a food‐eating model can affect children’s willingness to try new foods.