Abstract
The authors made investigation into the preference and sense of taste with junior high school boy students, using the techniques of the discrimination tests, the saltiness preference tests and the taste preference tests. 1. The results of taste discrimination tests were as follows. The highest percentage of correct answers were for sweetness. Boys were higher than those of girl students except for bitterness. The taste which had a higher percentage of correct answers showed a close concurrence with the preference of foods of the same taste. 2. According to the preference of salty consistency, approximately half of the students answered 0.8% to 1.2% consistency as the most preferable; 2% to 24% were unable to distinguish the difference of consistency. 3. According to the preference of strong or light taste, boy students, as compared with girl students, referred strongly seasoned taste for sweetness and bitterness, and lightly seasoned taste for sourness. Girl students' preference of strongly seasoned taste was lower except for bitterness as compared with the data reported in 1977. The above investigation did not show regional differences.
