New research: Snack names influence how filling we imagine they will be
Imagine being hungry in a grocery store and looking for a snack. You have a choice between Gobo granola bars or Kipi granola bars. Which do you reach for to fill you up? If you're like the participants in our new study, you probably said Gobo.
A recent study investigated how the sound of a snack's name impacts how filling people expect the food to be. Participants imagined new snacks with names like "Tikee" or "Boge," which were associated with small or large sounds respectively. The research found that snacks with "large" sound names were perceived as heavier and more filling than those with "small" sounds.
This effect was consistent across various foods, including healthy and unhealthy options. However, the study also revealed that purchase interest in these snacks depended on the buyer's specific goals – whether they were seeking a filling or light snack. While the study did not examine actual satiety, it suggests that expectations set by snack names could potentially influence how full a person feels after eating.
Future research is needed to explore this phenomenon further and examine its impact on actual products.
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