Figure 2

Experiment 2: The effect of colour on taste. Larger numbers on all y-axes indicate more of the measured property. Error bars represent the standard errors of the mean. ǂ P <.10; *P <.05. (a) Following up on a significant interaction effect for spoon colour x yoghurt colour on perceived saltiness, the two yoghurts tasted on the blue spoon were found to be rated significantly differently. Using contrast analysis, black and white spoons also had opposite effects on the perceived saltiness of white and pink yoghurt. (b) Using contrast analysis, we found an interaction effect between spoon colour (black or white) and yoghurt colour (pink or white) on the perceived expensiveness of the yoghurt. (c) Contrasting black and white spoons, we found that black spoons appear to make both yoghurts appear less sweet. (d) There was a trend towards an interaction between spoon colour and yoghurt colour when the black versus white spoon contrast was tested, which follows the same pattern as the expensiveness ratings seen in (b).