Psychological Effects of Cooking Activities: Study of Active Learning in dietary education

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K02215
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 08030:Family and consumer sciences, and culture and living-related
• Research Institution: Shikoku University
• Principal Investigator: Bando Kinue 四国大学, 生活科学部, 教授 (70208726)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 北畑 香菜子 四国大学, 生活科学部, 助教 (60761682)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 調理作業 / 心理的効果 / 食育 / アクティブラーニング

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We measured the sympathetic activity and psychological stability of university students. Upon comparison between cooking practice and classroom learning, sympathetic activation was higher during cooking practice; information and stimulation via sensory, motor, and cognitive functions during cooking resulted in increased psychological activation and stability. No significant differences in indices were found among different levels of cooking ability. Upon comparison between students with nutrition majors or other majors, the sympathetic activity by cooking practice was higher in nutrition students. On analysis of open-ended answers, "comparison with and reflection on daily life" was extracted more often in non-nutrition students, suggesting that cooking is experiential learning that uses all five senses, unlike classroom learning. Pleasantness of workmanship during cooking was rated as high in both groups, consistent with the "future-oriented" descriptions of wanting to cook again.

Free Research Field

生活科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

調理作業は食材の手触りをはじめ感覚器官を刺激する工程が多数あり、一方では判断力や実行機能など高度な脳の働きが要求される。さらに認知や感情面での刺激もあり、学習理論を背景に、モデリングや正・負の強化など、心理的側面に影響を及ぼす要因が多い。そのため、様々な場面やライフステージで調理実習を行う取り組みがなされている。しかし、グループでの調理実習の心理的な影響や、有効性の科学的根拠が示された研究は極めて少ない。そのため主観的・客観的指標を用いて評価した本研究結果は、今後の食育活動における調理実習の展開に生かされると考えている。