Chemical Senses in Feeding Belonging and Surviving

This Element looks at the physiological and social roles of taste and the proximal chemical senses. First how we perceive food and people when we contact them is discussed. These perceptions help us identify what we are eating and with whom we are present and serves as an analysis of the complex scene. Second the influence of taste in food choice metabolism and nutrition is considered. Next the impact of taste and the proximal chemical senses in social interactions is examined including social eating. Then the role of taste and the proximal chemical senses in emotion is explored.