Assessing the mechanisms of taste-based crossmodal correspondences

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K13755
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 10040:Experimental psychology-related
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo (2022-2023); Miyagi University (2021)
• Principal Investigator: Motoki Kosuke 東京大学, 大学院経済学研究科(経済学部), 講師 (90850438)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 感覚間協応 / 感覚間相互作用 / 味覚 / 消費者行動 / 消費者心理学

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Taste is a major component of the five senses. Not only is taste an essential sense for our survival, but it also enriches human life. Importantly, taste is associated with crossmodal interactions. For example, sweetness goes well with round shapes or high-pitched sounds. However, the mechanisms through which taste and other senses interact have not been fully understood. In this study, we elucidated the mechanisms of crossmodal associations related to taste through a series of psychological experiments. Specifically, we confirmed through multiple online experiments that visual elements (such as color and shape) and auditory elements (such as speech sound, voice quality) are combined with basic tastes. The findings of this research were published in peer-reviewed journals such as Food Quality and Preference.

Free Research Field

消費者行動論

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

味覚は五感の一大要素であり, 人間の生活に彩りを与える。人は実際に食品を味わうだけでなく, 視覚や聴覚的な要素を通じて, 食品の味の印象を判断する。例えば, 消費者は食品を購買する際に, ロゴの形（視覚）や商品名（聴覚）から, どのような味がしそうかを評価する。そのため, 実際の味わいだけでなく, 味覚以外の感覚を通じた, 味の印象評価の研究が必要とされる。味の印象が関わる感覚間協応とそのメカニズムを解明することは, 人のこころの理解を深めるだけでなく, 商学・食品科学・デザイン学といった幅広い応用分野に重要な知見を提供できると考えられる。