You probably trust your own taste buds when picking a favorite snack. But what if someone told you an expert rated one brand the highest? Research suggests that outside opinions can push people away from what their own senses tell them.
Set up a taste test with at least 30 people split into three groups. Group A tastes and picks freely. Group B hears that one brand scored highest in a consumer report before tasting. Group C gets the same expert tip but must also explain their choice in writing.
Compare the results across all three groups. See whether expert opinions or the need to justify a decision changed what people picked.
Hypothesis
The hypothesis is that expert opinions or justifications can influence decisions.
What someone tells you can reshape the choices you make — even choices that feel personal. In this taste test, at least 30 participants split into three groups. Group A tastes and picks freely, relying entirely on their own senses. Group B hears that one brand scored highest in a consumer report before tasting. Group C gets the same expert tip but must also justify their final decision in writing. Comparing results across all three groups shows whether an expert opinion, or simply the need to explain a choice, pushes people away from what their own taste buds tell them.
When someone tells you an expert picked a certain brand as the best, your brain may lean toward that choice even if your own taste buds disagree. That pull is cognitive bias, a mental shortcut that leads your brain to judge things in ways that aren't fair or accurate. This project tests that idea by splitting people into groups: one picks freely, one hears an expert opinion first, and one must also explain their choice. Comparing the groups shows whether outside opinions nudge people away from what they actually prefer.
Method & Materials
You will test three groups of participants. The first group will have to make a product selection based solely on their preferences. The second group will be offered an expert opinion before they make their selection, and the third group will be treated the same as the second group, only that they will have to justify their final decision.
You will need a minimum of 30 participants, an assortment of different brand name food or drink products, paper for each participant, pens or pencils, and a data sheet.
Eureka Crate — engineering & invention kits for ages 12+ — monthly projects that build real-world skills. (Affiliate link)
The results of this experiment showed that expert opinions and justifications can influence decisions. An observation that stood out was that when participants were told beforehand that a certain brand of product had received the highest ratings based on a consumer report, they often allowed this information to influence their choice of product.
Why do this project?
This science project is interesting because it challenges the idea that the more information we have, the better the choice we make. It tests if too much information can lead us to make decisions that are not based on critical thinking.
Also Consider
Variations of this experiment could include testing different types of products, such as clothing or electronics, or testing different types of expert opinions, such as reviews from friends or family.
Full project details
Additional information and source material for this project are available below.
