Poster #20 - Young children’s food rejection is linked to poor conceptual knowledge in the food domain

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Between 2 and 7 years old, there is rapid cognitive development, as children transition from the preoperational stage to the concrete stage of development (Piaget, 1971). One area of rich cognitive development is children’s conceptual knowledge and categorization abilities. Categorization and conceptual knowledge play an important role in understanding and appropriately accepting or rejecting foods (Mura Paroche et al., 2017). The food domain lends itself to many concepts and categories, such as taxonomic (i.e., lamb is meat), thematic (i.e., lamb goes on a plate), or script (i.e., lamb is eaten at dinner). Such knowledge aids accurate recognition, understanding, and appropriate interaction when confronted with foods situated in context. If conceptual knowledge is underdeveloped, the possibility to understand food and eating situations is mired. When faced with such uncertainty in the food domain, individuals are likely to reject a substance, regardless of its edibility. It thus stands to reason that impoverished conceptual knowledge in the food domain will lead to increased displays of food rejection in children.
In support of this argument, previous evidence demonstrated that food rejections (food neophobia and picky/fussy eating) are associated with impoverished knowledge of taxonomic categories in the food domain (such as the food groups: fruits or vegetables). However, young children are particularly attentive to the aforementioned forms of conceptual knowledge to help interpret situations and objects, such as script categories (e.g., breakfast foods) or thematic associates (e.g., soup and spoon) (Keil, 1989, Markman, 1989).
This presentation presents several studies supporting the theory that poor conceptual ability is linked with greater food rejection tendencies in children between 3 and 7 years old. These studies investigated the development of conceptual knowledge specifically in the food domain, and the link with food rejection.
Study 1 used a non-conflicting triad task to test children’s knowledge of four subtypes of script and thematic associations (food-food pairs, food-utensil pairs, event scripts, and meal scripts) with children 3-6 years old living in the United States (18 boys and 14 girls).
Study 2 employed the same design, along with a measure of food rejection in 3–6-year-olds living in France (67 boys and 62 girls). There was significant conceptual development in both groups, but thematic food concepts are acquired earlier than meal script concepts.
Study 3 investigated the link between thematic and script cross-classification and food rejection in 39 girls and 33 boys living in France (4-7 years old). Results demonstrate that children as young as 3 years old are already attending to thematic and script structures to inform food-based decision-making. More critically, study 3 showed that increased food rejection tendencies are negatively related to script and thematic understanding in the food domain. Such seminal studies illustrate the importance of conceptual knowledge in children’s interpretation and acceptance of food, highlighting promising avenues for knowledge-based interventions to foster dietary variety.

Authors

• Abigail Pickard, Aston University
  Presenting Author

• Jean-Pierre Thibaut, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comte

• Jérémie Lafraire, Institut Paul Bocuse