Too pretty to be healthy? The influence of food aesthetics on consumer perception of food healthiness

doi:10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.0883

Acta Psychologica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 57 ›› Issue (5): 833-833.doi: 10.3724/SP.J.1041.2025.0883

• Reports of Empirical Studies • Previous Articles Next Articles

Too pretty to be healthy? The influence of food aesthetics on consumer perception of food healthiness

ZHENG Xiaoying¹^,², ZHENG Lijing³(), LIU Chunlei¹, HAN Han⁴

¹ Business School, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, China
² Research Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Technology Finance, Sun Yat-sen University · Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518107, China
³ Business School, Shanghai Jian Qiao University, Shanghai 201306, China
⁴ China National Petroleum Corporation, Beijing 100007, China

Published:2025-05-25 Online:2025-03-06
Contact: ZHENG Lijing E-mail:zhenglijing@gench.edu.cn

Abstract

ZHENG Xiaoying, ZHENG Lijing, LIU Chunlei, HAN Han. (2025). Too pretty to be healthy? The influence of food aesthetics on consumer perception of food healthiness. Acta Psychologica Sinica, 57(5), 833-833.

Experiments	Condition	Healthiness perception	Main effects
Experiment 1A	High aesthetics	M = 2.19, SD = 0.75	F(1, 198) = 4.93, p = 0.027, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1A	Normal aesthetics	M = 2.46, SD = 0.96	F(1, 198) = 4.93, p = 0.027, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1B	High aesthetics	M = 4.56, SD = 1.28	F(1, 198) = 5.16, p = 0.024, η² = 0.03
Experiment 1B	Normal aesthetics	M = 4.96, SD = 1.23	F(1, 198) = 5.16, p = 0.024, η² = 0.03
Experiment 1C	High aesthetics	M = 5.20, SD = 0.92	F(1, 198) = 4.71, p = 0.031, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1C	Normal aesthetics	M = 5.47, SD = 0.80
Experiment 2	High aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association present	M = 3.49, SD = 1.02	F(1, 216) = 6.72, p = 0.010, η² = 0.03
	Normal aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association present	M = 3.99, SD = 1.10	F(1, 216) = 6.72, p = 0.010, η² = 0.03
	High aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association absent	M = 4.11, SD = 0.94	F(1, 216) = 2.39, p = 0.123, η² = 0.01
	Normal aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association absent	M = 3.80, SD = 1.10	F(1, 216) = 2.39, p = 0.123, η² = 0.01
Experiment 3	Health goal present	M = 3.32, SD = 1.84	F(1, 98) = 5.66, p = 0.019, η² = 0.06
Experiment 3	Health goal absent	M = 4.13, SD = 1.55	F(1, 98) = 5.66, p = 0.019, η² = 0.06

Experiments	Condition	Healthiness perception	Main effects
Experiment 1A	High aesthetics	M = 2.19, SD = 0.75	F(1, 198) = 4.93, p = 0.027, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1A	Normal aesthetics	M = 2.46, SD = 0.96	F(1, 198) = 4.93, p = 0.027, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1B	High aesthetics	M = 4.56, SD = 1.28	F(1, 198) = 5.16, p = 0.024, η² = 0.03
Experiment 1B	Normal aesthetics	M = 4.96, SD = 1.23	F(1, 198) = 5.16, p = 0.024, η² = 0.03
Experiment 1C	High aesthetics	M = 5.20, SD = 0.92	F(1, 198) = 4.71, p = 0.031, η² = 0.02
Experiment 1C	Normal aesthetics	M = 5.47, SD = 0.80
Experiment 2	High aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association present	M = 3.49, SD = 1.02	F(1, 216) = 6.72, p = 0.010, η² = 0.03
	Normal aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association present	M = 3.99, SD = 1.10	F(1, 216) = 6.72, p = 0.010, η² = 0.03
	High aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association absent	M = 4.11, SD = 0.94	F(1, 216) = 2.39, p = 0.123, η² = 0.01
	Normal aesthetics, hedonism-unhealthiness association absent	M = 3.80, SD = 1.10	F(1, 216) = 2.39, p = 0.123, η² = 0.01
Experiment 3	Health goal present	M = 3.32, SD = 1.84	F(1, 98) = 5.66, p = 0.019, η² = 0.06
Experiment 3	Health goal absent	M = 4.13, SD = 1.55	F(1, 98) = 5.66, p = 0.019, η² = 0.06

Too pretty to be healthy? The influence of food aesthetics on consumer perception of food healthiness

RichHTML

PDF (PC)

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

Figures/Tables 1

References

Related Articles 0

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments