“It took me back 25 years in one bound” : Self-Generated Flavor-based Cues for Self-defining Memories in Later Life

Gayler, Tom and Sas, Corina and Kalnikaitė, Vaiva (2023) “It took me back 25 years in one bound” : Self-Generated Flavor-based Cues for Self-defining Memories in Later Life. Human-Computer Interaction, 38 (5-6). pp. 417-458. ISSN 0737-0024

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Abstract

HCI research on food has focused predominantly on multisensory experience, embodiment, and meaning, but less on its value for memories. However, consistent findings have shown the importance of flavor in supporting the recall of episodic memories, particularly for older people. We report on a two-month project with 12 older adults from whom we elicited 72 self-defining memories, codesigned their bespoke flavor-based cues, and explored the impact of these 3D printed flavor-based cues on recall. Our findings indicate that 78% of memories prompted by flavor-based cues were recalled with intense feelings of being brought back in time, strong positive affect, and sensorial richness. We advance theory on 3D printed flavor-based cues as flexible resource for design of memory technologies integrating sense data, and highlight their qualities. Our findings led to three implications for the design of novel recreational, and therapeutic multisensory reminiscing, and for body-centric multisensory design methods.