Sweet love, bitter breakup: Exploring the impact of food intake on identification with media characters

Previous research has documented the effects of media engagement on food consumption. In this study, we explore the reverse effects of eating food of different tastes on engagement with media characters. Based on the similarity-identification hypothesis and on embodied cognition theories we expected that a sweet taste would increase identification with a protagonist in love, while a bitter taste would enhance identification with a heartbroken protagonist. The data were collected in Israel using a convenience sample of 172 Israeli women aged 18–56, recruited through social networks and community platforms. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four experimental conditions, where they consumed either sweet or bitter chocolate while watching segments of TV series depicting a protagonist in love or heartbroken. Subsequently, they completed questionnaires assessing their identification with the protagonist, enjoyment of the clip, and romantic attitudes. Our findings supported the similarity-identification hypothesis, demonstrating that similarity between viewers’ taste experiences and protagonists’ displayed emotions increased identification. Moreover, stronger identification was linked to greater enjoyment of the clip and a heightened idealization of romance. We contribute novel insights into the intersection of viewers’ taste experiences, protagonists’ depicted emotional states, and narrative engagement.