Psychological Factors in Food Choice

Historians have argued about the nature and amount of European and African

involvement in the actual capture of those who were enslaved, although there is consensus that

both continents were involved in some capacity. Throughout the early years of the transatlantic

slave trade, the Portuguese typically bought Africans who had been enslaved as a result of tribal

battles. This practice continued well into the later years of the trade. As the demand for people to

be enslaved increased, the Portuguese began to enter the interior of Africa in order to forcibly

take captives.

When other Europeans became involved in the slave trade, they generally remained on

the coast and purchased captives from Africans who had transported them from the interior. As

the demand for enslaved people increased, the Portuguese began to enter the interior of Africa in

order to forcibly take captives. Following their abduction, the kidnapped Africans were led to the

coast, a trek that could have spanned up to three hundred kilometers at its longest point (485

km). In most cases, two captives were chained together at the ankle, and columns of victims

were linked together by ropes that were wrapped over their necks. It is thought that between 10

and 15 percent of the hostages perished while they were being transported to the coast.

In general, each and every one of these factors can be placed into one of the following

three categories [Babicz-Zielinska, 2003]: (1) Product-related factors include physicochemical

properties, nutrient contents, sensory attributes, and functionality (convenience, availability,

packaging, and durability); (2) Consumer-related factors include demographic factors, metabolic

factors (hunger, thirst), and psychological factors (motives, personality, and attitudes); and (3)

Environmental factors include economic factors, social factors (social group, family patterns,

habits), cultural factors (traditions, religions), and context (place, time and company associated
with eating). The psychological aspects play very important roles in determining the amount of

food ingested in addition to the type of food that is consumed. According to [Wo, 2003], the

primary considerations are the individual's motives, attitudes, and personality.

A review was done, and the results showed that psychological elements including

motivations, personality, and attitudes towards food and nutrition play a significant role in

determining dietary behavior. Eating disorders, particularly orthorexia and anorexia nervosa, can

develop for seemingly irrational reasons, such as a person's desire to maintain a healthy body

weight and a slimmer appearance. It has been established that both the effect of consumed food

on emotional status as well as the effect of emotions on food choice are real and present.

The findings of a study on how consumers feel about foods that are transgenic,

functional, ecological, and unusual have been presented. Incorrect attitudes regarding different

types of food and eating have frequently been brought about by a fear of new foods (neophobia)

or the negative consequences that certain foods have on one's health (functional food). The

findings that were obtained indicate that knowledge of the motives and attitudes of consumers is

an important factor that not only enables food manufacturers to implement the most effective

marketing strategy to increase sales, but also enables dietetics and physicians to evaluate the

risks of the development of eating disorders and change the consumers' attitudes so that they

have healthier attitudes.