The Kitchen lab is mainly used for food research. It houses a kitchen with all the necessary equipment to prepare and store food. The test participants occupy one of two test rooms adjacent to the kitchen, not the kitchen itself. Each room is equipped with a table, chair and computer.
Adjustments
The setup of the test rooms can be changed according to the requirements of the study. For example, in eating studies it would be possible to use a tablecloth and put a painting up on the wall, to make the room more comfortable for the test participant.
Research
Many types of research are carried out in the Kitchen lab (e.g. taste tests) and will sometimes feature minor computer tasks. The computer tasks vary, but most are cognitive based, such as response-time tasks. The task will always be directly related to the research question. While food research may observe participants’ reactions to food, alcohol research may observe reactions to alcohol.
Different types of food products are used in taste tests, with test participants asked to assess the food products according to sensory criteria including smell and taste. Since various food types are used, for the sake of hygiene and practicality, it is important that the kitchen is close to the test rooms.
The Kitchen lab and the two adjacent test rooms can also accommodate research other than food research.
Adjustments
The setup of the test rooms can be changed according to the requirements of the study. For example, in eating studies it would be possible to use a tablecloth and put a painting up on the wall, to make the room more comfortable for the test participant.
Research
Many types of research are carried out in the Kitchen lab (e.g. taste tests) and will sometimes feature minor computer tasks. The computer tasks vary, but most are cognitive based, such as response-time tasks. The task will always be directly related to the research question. While food research may observe participants’ reactions to food, alcohol research may observe reactions to alcohol.
Different types of food products are used in taste tests, with test participants asked to assess the food products according to sensory criteria including smell and taste. Since various food types are used, for the sake of hygiene and practicality, it is important that the kitchen is close to the test rooms.
The Kitchen lab and the two adjacent test rooms can also accommodate research other than food research.