the eating experiments.
Four experiments with different scenarios are executed in the same dining room.
Scenario 01 | the blindfold.
Scenario 01 | the blindfold.
Participants would be blindfolded and to be fed by their partners or eat independently.
To find out how the absence of one sense - sight, would affect our bodily perception and experience.
Observation & Analysis:
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All participants are very cautious while taking their food and they eat very slowly and carefully.
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Theirs hands were touching everything in front, searching their way towards the cutleries.
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They had to smell, taste, and listen to the food, to figure out what they were eating.
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In the condition when the sense of sight is disabled, people would depend more on other senses – tasting, smelling, hearing and touch to seek information.
“I'd rather eat with my bare hands than with cutleries, so that I can feel the food.”
Wen Yee Kok, 2016
Scenario 02 | the soundscapes.
In pairs, both participants would dine with five different music playing in the background.
A. Traffic noise
B. Meditation music
C. Jazz music
D. Machinery sound effect
E. Chill instrumental music.
To find out how the sense of sound would affect our bodily perception and experience.
Observation & Analysis:
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Sound A – Participants did not enjoy their meal and were irritated by the noise. They ate very quickly and wished to finish the meal as soon as possible.
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Sound B – The monotonous and over-calming melody created an awkward dining setting. Both participants stared at each other speechless. They ate very slowly, but stiffly.
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Sound C – Participants swayed their bodies to the rhythm of the music. However, they were more engaged to the music than to each other. They ate at moderate speed. Food tasted better.
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Sound D – The noises were overpowering their conversation. They could not continue eating and wanted to get out of the room immediately.
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Sound E – Participants enjoyed their meals very much and engaged with both their food and each other’s company. Food tasted better. They ate slower and occasionally dancing to the rhythm.
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Sound does affect our experience while eating.
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However, it should not overpower and distract us from food.
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Background music with a chill tune combining with some light beats would elevate our dining experience and allows our bodies to engage more with food and surrounding.
Scenario 03 | the follower.
In pairs, both participants would dine together; where Participant A would follow exactly what Participant B do while eating. Every body gestures and coordination should be imitated as accurately as possible.
To find out how imitating one's gesture would affect our bodily perception and experience.
Observation & Analysis:
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All participants were having fun imitating the other.
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They had to pay extra attention to their partners and distracted them from enjoying their meal.
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There were a lot of conversations and engagement.
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At normal days, we do not pay much attention to our companions while eating.
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There are more connections among the participants, food and the surrounding when we actually become more aware of everything.
“I didn't really enjoy my food because I had to follow her. Our eating styles are very different. I like to eat my dish evenly, and she eats the meat first, leaving the vegetable to the last.”
Yi Lin Hu, 2016
Scenario 04 | the lumiere.
In pairs, both participants would dine under different lighting settings.
A.Very dark setting with all lights off
B. Dark setting with flickering beams of colourful disco light
C. Brightly lit setting
D. Moderately lit with a spotlight shining on the food
To find out how lighting would affect our bodily perception and experience.
Observation & Analysis:
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Setting A – Participants felt very disappointed because they could not appreciate the food visually. They intended to speed up eating, but were distracted by the poor lighting, which made them to slow down ironically.
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Setting B – Participants felt very distracted to continue eating and were agitated by the flickering lights. They ate faster, in annoyance.
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Setting C – Participants was very pleased with the lighting and enjoyed their meal very much. They ate at moderate speed.
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Setting D – Participants also enjoyed the setting but were more engaging with their food and partners. They ate at a slower speed.
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Participants engage more with the surrounding when there is a difference of luminosity within a room.
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This gives the space more sense of depth and aura, where our body could perceive.
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The aesthetic of food is elevated when given spotlights and we know where to focus on.
