The focus of this dissertation is on the dynamics of sensorial pleasure and the relationship between its intensity and subsequent behavior. The aim is to challenge the assumption that the relationship between pleasure intensity and approach behavior remains stable over time and across contexts. Two experiments were performed to test the proposition, consistent with opponent process theory, that different levels of initial pleasure intensity change at different rates over time and produce behavioral manifestations unpredicted by traditional approach-avoidance models. The objectives of Experiment 1 were to model the changes in online ratings (pleasure and desire to consume) associated with pleasures of different intensity, and to study the relationship between pleasure intensity and consumption. Testing was conducted in a naturalistic context and stimuli consisted of different flavors of dark chocolate selected on an idiosyncratic basis to produce a range of pleasure intensity. On separate days, 22 subjects ate at their discretion a different flavor out of a known quantity. Results revealed that online ratings possessed a Markov quality, and that increases in initial pleasure intensity were associated with diminishing marginal pleasure and desire overall. When accounting for contextual and individual-level factors, consumption did not reflect any influence of pleasure intensity. In Experiment 2, contextual variables were manipulated on a between-subject basis to test the possibility of influencing pleasure intensity and its behavioral manifestations. In a controlled environment, prior to consumption, 85 subjects read a booklet containing either the history of chocolate or a vocabulary of its sensory properties, and during consumption their attentional focus was directed toward either their sensations or a word puzzle. Subjects ate a piece of cinnamon-flavored milk chocolate at regular intervals while rating their sensorial pleasure, desire to eat the next piece, an
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.37756 |
| Date | January 2000 |
| Creators | Le Bel, Jordan Lachance. |
| Contributors | Dube, Laurette (advisor) |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Doctor of Philosophy (Faculty of Management.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001805800, proquestno: NQ70073, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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