Sensory motivations within children’s concrete operations stage: Differences in preferences and recall
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 16 May 2019
Issue publication date: 3 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to provide empirical evidence of the relationship between specific sensory motivations (i.e. flavor) and the development of preference for food, beverages or brands by preteen consumers; and second, to compare the three age groups within the concrete operations stage toward the hypothesis contrast that states that the higher the cognitive development, the more recognized and recalled a brand will be.
Design/methodology/approach
The research techniques implemented were observation (exploratory phase) and personal survey using a paper and pencil questionnaire. The food products and beverages, brands, jingles and isotypes used were based on a convenience sample of 131 lunch boxes. A sample of 682 preteens aged 6–11 in the concrete operation stage obtained by convenience and snowball sampling participated.
Findings
When choosing one product or brand over the other, the results highlight flavor as compared with other more secondary sensory motivations, and there are clear differences between the younger and older age groups. In respect of advertising recall and brand recognition, the older age group shows higher frequencies of correct jingle-brand and isotype-brand association.
Originality/value
Despite product and brand consumption in the child segment relevance further motivational research is needed to identify the factors that influence preferences. The results obtained show that there are preferences and motives for product consumption that can be attributed to the functioning of the senses by the preteen consumer as well as differences within the concrete operations stage.
Keywords
Citation
Royo Vela, M. and Ortegon-Cortazar, L. (2019), "Sensory motivations within children’s concrete operations stage: Differences in preferences and recall", British Food Journal, Vol. 121 No. 4, pp. 910-925. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-07-2018-0444
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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