Rozin talks on culinary culture

The trays full of dining hall delicacies and the aromas of the evening's selections created the perfect setting for Psychology Professor Paul Rozin's discussion on "The Psychology of Food" Thursday. Students filled the small private dining area in King's Court/English College House for the sixth and final seminar in the series "Eating at Penn" coordinated by the Perspectives in Humanities Program. "I love food and that is why I work on it," Rozin began. The discussion centered around what Rozin called "the French Paradox," a term used to describe the correlation seen between people and food in America as opposed to in France. In the United States, men and women are increasingly unable to enjoy eating without worrying about health consequences. French citizens, in contrast, view eating as a pleasurable experience, paying attention to how the food tastes in their mouths rather than the fat or calorie content. Despite this, French people are, on the whole, healthier than Americans, Rozin said. In a survey conducted in relation to Rozin's study of the paradox, participants were asked to choose between a vacation at a hotel with excellent accommodations but average food and one with average accommodations but excellent food. In the United States, more than half the people chose the better accommodations. The French overwhelmingly chose the exquisite food. Rozin is seeking to discover "why Americans worry so much about food? instead of just the old-fashioned enjoyment of food." Rozin agreed with one student's comment that such an outlook is "practically impossible now," pointing out that Americans' perspectives toward food change as they grow older. Audience members concurred that there appears to be a vast difference in the mindsets of children and college-age students toward eating, explaining that as young children, they never thought of the ramifications of what they were eating. Rozin attributed some of the concern to the increasing field of medical media in the United States. "There is a lot of hype out there, as well as information," he said. "It is hard for the public to sort out." To alleviate this problem, the professor plans to educate the public, "teaching people how science works and the politics behind many of the messages." Rozin even tried to teach a class for free at Central High School, but the North Philadelphia school declined his request. Rozin wants to dispel the myth that all products sporting an "all-natural" label are necessarily healthier than unnatural food. "Just remember, death is natural," he said. Several students in the audience found Rozin's talk informative. College freshman Mariel Focseneanu said, "The comparison [between American and] European cultures is interesting."