Information about alcohol affects the perception of the drinker

New tests in which participants receive information about alcohol before and after tasting shows that alcohol will be perceived and evaluated differently if the drinker is given product information before tasting.

A wine grower will look forward to a lot at the visit of Robert Parker, one of the most famous wine critics in the world. His 'Parker Points' rating system has a decisive impact on the success of a winery. The results of the study recently published in the Appetite report reveal the information about the product, such as Parker's assessment of how influential it is to perceive and evaluate people. consumption. The study was conducted by Michael Siegrist, lecturer in the Department of Consumer Behavior, with Marie-Eve from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich).

The two scientists want to find out how such information affects a person's perception, by testing their hypothesis that the judgment of a wine critic affects how much Good taste that a tasting person will feel.

Positive information & negative information

In the study, 163 people tasted Argentinian red wine named 'Clos de Los Siete Mendoza' (2006), the wine that Robert Parker gave a 92/100 scale and judged it to be a premium wine. The two scientists divided the study subjects into five groups: one group was told about Parker's praise before tasting; the second group also received information before tasting, but alcohol information only reached 72 points and ranked average.

Two other groups in turn received positive information and negative information after tasting the wine but before making an assessment. The last group was not given any information and acted as an objective evaluation team.

Each participant tasted wine in a separate space and time, after which they gave their assessment of alcohol on a scale of 10, the word 'disliked' to 'excellent'. They are also required to provide the specific amount they will spend to pay for a unit of this wine.

Information given affects the feelings of drinkers

Analysis of the test results indicated that the study subjects were informed that the alcohol was given a score of 92 or 72 before drinking had a different alcohol rating than those who did not know any information. before evaluation. In the first two groups, subjects who received negative information about alcohol scores were significantly lower than those who received positive information. Those who know in advance that alcohol scores 92 on the Parker Points also feel better than those who made the first judgment and then know this information.

Predictive information not only affects the taste of alcohol, but also affects the degree of readiness to spend on this wine: again, the test subjects are informed of negative information. people who pay the least amount of money in all groups.

Researchers found that their original hypothesis was confirmed and concluded that wine reviewers' influence on the drinker's perception. Surprisingly, the subjects did not change their views if they received information after tasting alcohol. Siegrist said : 'Obviously, not everyone wants to be a connoisseur - information has really changed what they feel about alcohol.'

Praise alcohol before drinking

In fact, scientists do not rule out the possibility that alcoholics and connoisseurs may change their views and evaluations to be similar to expert judgment to keep face. This issue needs to be verified in detail in subsequent studies.

Now, however, scientists have come up with a tip for all the restaurants and homeowners of the parties: emphasize the quality of the wine before guests start enjoying them!

Refer:

Siegrist et al.Expectations experience sự xác định sự xác thực trong a wine tasting.Appetite, 2009;52 (3): 762 DOI: 10.1016 / j.appet.2009.02.002