The Psychological Case Against Tasty, Tasty Appetizers

New York Magazine:

There’s a lot to think about when you go out to eat. Bottled or tap? Red or white? How are we splitting this check? One thing you likely aren’t thinking about, however, is how, when your food eventually comes, your brain will decide whether it’s good or not. After all, it doesn’t seem like something that takes a lot of thought — food either tastes good or it doesn’t, right?

That’s a question that’s had scientists’ attention for some time now. And a fair amount of research has suggested that there’s a lot more to how food tastes than … well, how food tastes. All sorts of contextual factors, from the price of that wine to the setting for your meal to how the food is arranged on your plate, play a role in whether or not you think something tastes good. When you say that a dish is delicious, in other words, it’s partly your taste buds talking, but there are plenty of other voices making themselves heard as well.

Read the whole story: New York Magazine