A Comparison of Two Procedures for Assessing Preference in a Classroom Setting

Area of Science:

• Behavioral Science
• Food Science
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Assessing individual food preferences is crucial in various fields, including nutrition and behavioral science.
• Traditional individual preference assessments can be time-consuming and impractical for large groups.
• Developing efficient methods for group preference assessment is needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the efficacy of a group preference assessment method using Plickers Quick Response (QR) code cards and a smartphone app against traditional individual preference assessments.
• To determine if the Plickers method is a valid and rapid approach for evaluating food preferences in a large group setting.

Main Methods:

• Individual preference assessments involved participants selecting preferred edible stimuli from an array, with stimuli removed based on criteria.
• Group preference assessments were conducted in a classroom with 19 students using Plickers QR code cards and a smartphone app for simultaneous responses.
• Stimuli arrays were restricted at the individual participant level during the group procedure.

Main Results:

• The group preference assessment method using Plickers QR codes was found to be a valid approach.
• The Plickers method proved to be a rapid means of assessing preferences within a large group.
• The results suggest feasibility for group preference evaluation.

Conclusions:

• The Plickers system offers a promising and efficient tool for assessing food preferences in group settings.
• Practitioners and researchers can consider utilizing this technology for group preference evaluations.
• Further research is warranted to explore the full potential and applications of this method.