FOOD STIMULI AND GENDER

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Eye-tracking technology is one of the methods that open the door to investigate what
people unconsciously fixate on (Gofman, Moskowitz, Fyrbjork, Moskowitz, & Mets, 2009)
and the relationship with preferences and food choices.

2.1.1 Food Choice and Human Behavior
A study performed in the European Union found gender differences. Women
reported that they were more likely to choose food because of “quality or freshness, price,
trying to eat healthy, and family preferences”(Lennernäs et al., 1997). Men were more likely
to choose food because of habit and taste (Lennernäs et al., 1997).
Table 1: Major Determinants of Food Choice

Economics

Psychology
Major Determinants
of Food Choice

Sociology

Biology

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Income
Time
Skills
Availability
Knowledge
Personality
Attitudes
Beliefs
Emotions
Mood
Memory and learning
Conditioning
Norms
Lifestyle
Status
Social class
Hunger and appetite
Palatability
Taste
Genetics

Broadly based on (Schröder, 2003)

Food choices are influenced by many aspects and are very complex, as many factors
also interrelate (see Table 1). After hunger, personal preferences and taste are probably the