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Elsevier

Methods in Consumer Research, Volume 1

Theoretical and Practical aspects

  • 2nd Edition - April 3, 2026
  • Latest edition
  • Editors: Gaston Ares, Paula Varela
  • Language: English

Methods in Consumer Research, Volume 1: Theoretical and Practical aspects, Second Edition, brings together the world’s leading experts in global consumer research who provide a f… Read more

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Description

Methods in Consumer Research, Volume 1: Theoretical and Practical aspects, Second Edition, brings together the world’s leading experts in global consumer research who provide a fully comprehensive state-of-the-art coverage of advances in methods in consumer science.

The new edition, thoroughly revised and updated, touches on the latest developments in consumer behavior. It includes a theoretical overview of consumer behavior, followed by a detailed description of qualitative techniques, including coverage of focus groups, projective techniques, ethnography, and social media. Quantitative methods are also addressed from both an explicit and implicit perspective. A section specifically delves into physiological measurements, such as eye-tracking, facial reading, and fMRI.

In conjunction with the second volume, which covers specific applications, this book is an invaluable reference for academics working in the fields of sensory and consumer science, psychology, marketing, and nutrition. Through examples of the methodologies being applied throughout, it serves as a practical guide to practitioners in both the public and private sector.

Key features

  • Provides a comprehensive view of consumer behavior
  • Presents a full coverage of methodologies of consumer research
  • Includes both qualitative and quantitative methods
  • Brings implicit methods for studying consumer perception and behavior
  • Covers new chapters on physiological measurements, such as eye-tracking, facial reading and fMRI, and quantitative new methods

Readership

Food scientists, technologists, food processors, product developers, food industry workers, research scientists, nutrition researchers, health professionals. Academics in sensory and consumer science, psychology, marketing, nutrition. R&D managers in food and non-food companies. People working in marketing and consultancy companies

Table of contents

Section 1: Theoretical and methodological considerations on consumer research

1. Recent advances in consumer research

2. Complexity of consumer perception

3. Psychographics: Personality variables in consumer research

4. Contextual influences on consumer responses to food products

5. Ethics in sensory and consumer research

Section 2: Qualitative research

6. New approaches to focus groups

7. Projective techniques

8. Ethnography and observational methods in consumer research

9. Application of social media for consumer research

10. Text mining

11. Design thinking, co-creation and consumer involvement in research and innovation

Section 3: Quantitative direct methods

12. Conjoint analysis in sensory and consumer science: Principles, applications and future perspectives

13. Affect-based discrimination

14. Emotional responses to products

15. Consumer-based methodologies for sensory characterization

16. Measuring the dynamics of consumer perception

17. Statistical approaches to consumer segmentation

18. Measuring consumer expectations

19. Situational appropriateness in food consumer research

20. Experimental economics to evaluate consumer preferences

Section 4: Quantitative indirect methods

21. Measuring implicit associations in food-related consumer research

22. Automatic facial expressions analysis in consumer science

23. Eye tracking in consumer research

24. Physiological measurements: EEG and fMRI

Product details

  • Edition: 2
  • Latest edition
  • Published: April 15, 2026
  • Language: English

About the editors

GA

Gaston Ares

Gastón Ares works as a professor and researcher in the Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Republic (UdelaR). He works in the area of Sensory and Consumer Science Assessment, working particularly on methodological aspects of new product development and the study of consumer perception. He has extensive experience in research through participation in numerous projects at national and international level. In 2011 he won the prize "Food Quality and Preference Elsevier Award for a Young Researcher". He serves as a reviewer for several journals in the area and is a member of the Editorial Committee of the Journal of Sensory Studies journals and Food Quality and Preference.
Affiliations and expertise
Professor and Researcher, Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Republic (UdelaR), Uruguay

PV

Paula Varela

Paula's research has focused on the exploration of new methodologies to further understanding sensory and consumer perception, in particular sensory descriptive techniques with the use of consumers and the influence of non-sensory parameters in consumer food choice. She is a member of the Editorial Board and Guest Editor of Food Research International and of Current Opinion in Food Science. She also has a part-time associate professor position in in sensory and consumer science at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU).
Affiliations and expertise
Senior Research Scientist, Nofima, Norway

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