Not Eating Enough Overcoming Underconsumption of Military Operational Rations (1995) / Chapter Skim
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10 The Role of Image, Stereotypes, and Expectations on the Acceptance and Consumption of Rations
10 The Role of Image, Stereotypes, and Expectations on the Acceptance and Consumption of Rations
Pages 177-202
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Army Natick Research, Development and Engineering Center, Natick, MA 01760-5020 177
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RATION IMAGE AND STEREOTYPE General Public and Media Image If one were to ask the average person about his or her image of military rations, their response would undoubtedly be a negative one. In fact, a negative image of military rations is widely held among the general public, in spite of the fact that many scientists who are actively engaged in research on military rations-product developers, consumer psychologists, nutritionists, etc.
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showed the mean expected acceptability of foods eaten at home to be significantly higher than that for all other foods. Similarly, for the vast majority of the food items, those obtained at a family restaurant, diner/fast food restaurant, and school cafeteria were rated significantly higher than those from the remaining three foodservice operations.
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. , · ~ 0 <, 8 z ~` 7 l UJ ~ ~ ~ 9_ 5 ~ ~ ~;~ 1 - ~ I I I I I 1 1 ~ O ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ RESTAURANT Hi DINE~F MILITARY AIRLINE HOSPITAL RESTAURANT SCHOOL DINE~F MILITARY AIRLINE HOSPITAL FIGURE 10-2 Mean expected acceptability ratings for 12 food items as served in 7 different foodservice operations.
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Yet, even for the latter items, although the statistical variability among foodservices was smaller, the relative order of expected liking across foodservices remained the same, a fact which suggests that the effect seen in these data is a robust one. Turning to the judgments of expected quality of the food, Figure 10-3 shows the ratings of expected quality for the troops stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii.
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and mean expected quality (bottom) for 12 food items as served in 7 different foodservice operations.
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In addition, this negative opinion of food items in Navy dining halls extended to other aspects of the foodservice situation (Table 10-2~. In almost every case, Navy foodservice scored significantly lower on such factors as cleanliness, portion size, and even the ambient temperature of the dining hall.
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184 ARMAND V CARDELLO TABLE 10-1 Mean Acceptability Ratings of Navy Personnel for 19 Different Food Items When Served in either Navy Dining Halls or Commercial Foodservice Establishments Food Item Dining Hall Commercial Chicken noodle soup 6.1 7.0t French onion soup 4.0 5.7t Meat loaf 5.2 6.3t Macaroni and cheese 5.1 6.6t Pizza 6.0 7.9t Spaghetti with meat sauce 6.0 7.5t Fried chicken 5.8 7.3t Cheeseburger 6.1 7.5t Hamburger 5.9 7.4t Grilled ham & cheese sandwich 6.1 6.9t Rice 5.2 6.4t Mashed potatoes 5.6 6.8t French fries 6.3 7.5t Sweet potatoes 5.1 6.0t Carrots 5.3 6.1 t Green beans 5.6 6.5t Spinach 4.9 5.8t Green peas 5.3 6.2t Chocolate cake 6.1 7.3 Overall average: 5.7 6.9t Ratings are based on a 9-point scale, in which 1 corresponds to "dislike extremely," 5 corresponds to "neither like nor dislike," and 9 corresponds to "like extremely." t p ~ 0.OOl.
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In contrast, military subjects reported that information andlor exposure to military food during their basic training or during their first military assignment were the critical factors contributing to their current image of rations. Taken together, the above studies support the notion of a strong negative image of military food among both military and civilian populations.
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Forty subjects first evaluated the corn in a blind taste test l month prior to the main test. The baseline acceptability of the corn from this blind taste test is shown as the horizontal line in Figure 10-6.
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This issue of the direction of change in acceptability ratings relative to the level of expected acceptability lies at the heart of the theoretical issues involved in predicting the effect of disconfirmed expectations on perceived product acceptance. Models of Disconfirmed Expectations In the consumer psychology literature, there are four models of the effect of disconfirmed expectations on perceived product performance.
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is a hybrid of the first two and maintains that perceived product quality will conform to the assimilation model predictions under conditions of low-positive or low-negative disconfir~nation (product not very different from expectation) , but will conform to the contrast model predictions under conditions of high disconfirmation (product very different from expectation)
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Pretrial expected acceptability and posttrial actual acceptability were obtained from all subjects. The ordinate in Figure 10-8 is the change in product acceptance from baseline level as a function of whether subjects
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The arrows (E) index the levels of expected belief strengths about the bitterness of the coffee for the subjects in the "low bitterness expectation group." SOURCE: Adapted from Olson and Dover (1976)
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Like Figure 10-8, the data in Figure 10-9 show a strong, positive, linear association between the change in product rating and subjects' expectations, which provides support for an assimilation model of the effect of disconfirmed expectations on food product acceptance. Although the bulk of the data collected to date supports an assimilation model, contrast effects do occur.
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. -4 -2 0 2 EXPECTED WORSE PRODUCT 4 6 EXPECTED BRIBER PRODUCT 193 O REGULAR CRACKER O FAT FREE CRACKER FIGURE 10-9 Plot ofthe change in acceptability ratings from pretest levels as a function of the degree to which subjects expected a better or worse product.
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Pretest measures of expected liking were obtained, as well as posttest measures of acceptability, likelihood to purchase the meal items, and actual consumption. Results indicated that disconfirmed expectations produced negative affect (acceptability)
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As shown in Table 10-4, the mean acceptability ratings for the entree (chicken stew) , the beverage (orange drink)
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In the other condition, the sergeant followed the same procedure, but made only positive comments about the quality and acceptability of the new rations. Following the meal, subjects evaluated the rations for acceptability on a 9-point hedonic scale, and subsequently, the amount they consumed was indexed using a plate waste measure.
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= 2.36, P < 0.059~. CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The following conclusions can be drawn from the data presented in this chapter: · A strong negative image of military rations exists.
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Based on the available data, the following recommendations are made in support of the goal of developing strategies to overcome underconsumption of rations: · Conduct a detailed analysis of all factors contributing to the current negative image arid expectations for military field rations, including sources both inside and outside the military. · Develop a program to improve the image of and expectations for military rations among soldiers, using as vehicles: (a)
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Miller 1972 Consumer expectation, product performance, and perceived product quality. Marketing Res.
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RICHARD JANSEN: How do you explain the MRE food acceptance rating data based on the theory you've presented? They've had this food, they've had bad expectations.
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In other words, you don't need to have a particular specification for a toilet seat; you can use a commercial toilet seat instead. I would think that would include the use of commercially produced and labeled foods in military rations.
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National Academy Press 11 Effects of Food Quality' Quantity, and Variety on Intake Barbara J Robust INTRODUCTION A number of highly controlled laboratory-based studies have tested whether modifications either to foods or meals can increase energy intake.
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