What a Delicious Name! Articulatory Movement Effects on Food Perception and Consumption

Modality-specific sensory systems are capable to directly influence human perception. This research investigates how the activation of oral movements that resemble either ingestion (inward movement) or expectoration (outward movement) kinematics affect food perception and consumption. We build on the idea that oral movements serve as simple knowledge basis for more complex judgments. Five studies show that unobtrusively activating oral movements through food names that mimic ingestion (vs. expectoration) lead to increases in perceived taste and food consumption. We provide evidence on the role of oral movement as the underlying mechanism driving the effects. We show that these effects take place across different languages and are consistent when we use words only, words and image, or actual products. Marketers should find important implications in recognizing that inward names can increase food evaluation and consumption.