2.1.2—Sound and consumer behaviour

2.1.2 Sound and consumer behaviour.

• music in restaurants focusing on how background music influences the amount spent on food and drink (exemplified by the following Key Study).
• Key study on musical style and restaurant customers' spending: North et al. (2003).
• background noise focusing on how sound and noise affect the perception of food taste including reasons why sound influences taste, including a study, e.g. Woods et al. (2011) study 1 or study 2.
• Relevant issues and debates and methodology for this topic include: individual and situational explanations, reductionism versus holism, determinism versus free-will, generalisations, validity.

This matters because —sound and consumer behaviour determines what can be inferred or chosen; begin with the stated conditions and keep the conclusion tied to the evidence.

Example: apply —sound and consumer behaviour to one small, clearly defined case, show the key step or comparison, and explain the result in words.

Boundary: —Sound and consumer behaviour is not a universal recommendation. Check the syllabus scope, assumptions, units and the limits of the evidence before generalising.