Do we really first eat with our eyes?
According to psychologist Dr. Kristie Dukewich, we do, and there’s science to prove it.
Dukewich explores multisensory research in her talk, First we eat with our eyes, in the next installment of the Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)-Science World Speaker Series on Nov. 28.
“This is actually something people can use in their lives to make eating and drinking more enjoyable,” says Dukewich. “Given how central food is to our social lives, I like to think of this collection of research as the science of loving your friends and family with food.”
Dukewich, a psychology instructor at KPU, goes on to explain that rather than working in isolation, our senses interact to change our experiences. Eating isn’t limited to taste, it also engages vision, smell, and touch in a rich multisensory experience. Research has shown that interaction of the senses produces an experience that is, at times, wholly different from the sum of its parts. Multisensory research has wider applications than a better bite: it has also been used to design safer, more responsive cars, as well as identify core deficits in autism.
“Multisensory research has led to various innovations that have improved our lives, but the reality is, I just think it’s really cool. It’s hard to recognize how senses interact to change our experience, and I want to show people the science behind it in order to demonstrate the aspects of perception that we don’t see.”
First we eat with our eyes
What multisensory research has to say about how to eat, drink & be merry
WHEN: Tuesday, Nov. 28, 7 p.m.
WHERE: Science World at TELUS World of Science (1455 Quebec St., Vancouver)
INFO: Doors open early at 6 p.m. for a set of interactive, hands-on activities and scientific demonstrations. The event is free but space is limited. Please register at kpu.ca/scienceworld.
This speaker series is a partnership between KPU and Science World that supports the expansion of science in our communities. This free public series works to engage, entertain and educate guests with fascinating insights into the world of science.
Story by Tatiana Tomljanovic