| Abstract: | Forty-four Glaswegian 8-10 year old children participated in this study to measure their perceptions of common vegetables. North Glasgow was selected as the locale because it contains the areas with Scotland's lowest and highest fruit and vegetable intakes. The impact of socioeconomic status upon the children's perceptions and preferences was examined, as were age, gender and frequency of vegetable consumption. The repertory grid method was used to elicit the perceptual data. Personal attributes were scored on a 10-cm linear scale, alongside a scale to measure the children's liking for the vegetables. Generalized Procrustes analysis and Preference Mapping were used to analyze the data. Sensory characteristics (especially texture and appearance) and the context of consumption were found to influence perceptions and preferences of vegetables. Socioeconomic background influenced perceptions, while self-reported consumption was significantly affected by social background, age and gender. |
