THE EFFECT OF THE SENSES ON FLAVOR PERCEPTION AND PURCHASING INTENTION

Flavor perception, a central area of study within gastronomy, can be influenced positively or negatively through a multisensory approach.The five senses sight, smell, hearing, touch, and taste contribute to the formation of an individual's flavor perception to varying degrees.Similarly, consumers' purchase intentions may be shaped by the positive or negative experiences associated with these senses.Accordingly, the aim of this study was to investigate how sensory experiences influence flavor perception and whether these experiences subsequently affect purchase intention.Using a qualitative research approach, data were collected through semistructured interviews with 33 participants, focusing on sensory experiences and purchase intentions related to a fish dish.The findings indicate that participants' expectations prior to tasting the fish dish were primarily driven by visual cues; however, following the tasting experience, the sense of taste emerged as the dominant factor.Even when visual expectations were not fully met, participants evaluated the fish dish positively based on its taste, and purchase intentions were formed because of the overall satisfaction with the experience.Notably, although participants frequently used the term 'taste' in their responses, they were often referring to the general flavor of the dish, highlighting a common conflation between the concepts of taste and flavor.