A Taste of Culture : Perceptions About American Fast Food in China

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dc.contributor.advisorAvenarius, Christineen_US
dc.contributor.authorTsao, Jerry C.en_US
dc.contributor.departmentInternational Studiesen_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-09-04T18:10:10Z
dc.date.available2012-09-04T18:10:10Z
dc.date.issued2012en_US
dc.description.abstractThis exploratory study examined perceptions about American fast food among urban, Beijing residents to explore three major objectives; perceptions about taste preferences and nutrition value, the eating relationships of group harmony and sharing dishes, and the modern values of fast and convenient food in a clean environment. The 40 semi-structured interviews were completed in the summer of 2011. The informants were selected by age, gender, and occupation. Younger informants, 18 to 30 years old, were exposed to American fast food during their childhood and adolescent periods. Older informants, over 40 years old, did not come into contact with American fast food until they had already established their food consumption patterns.    The findings reveal few differences between younger and older informants because all informants restrict some American fast food consumption for both taste and health reasons. American fast food is only suitable to about half of the informants' taste palatability. They all prefer Chinese cuisine when given the choice. They perceive American fast food to be unhealthy because it uses food adulterants, contains high fat content, and lacks balance between food groups. Families eating together avoid American fast food restaurants to maintain group harmony. However, younger informants enjoy American style fast food because it provides a modern environment to socialize with friends.  en_US
dc.description.degreeM.A.en_US
dc.format.extent56 p.en_US
dc.format.mediumdissertations, academicen_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10342/3987
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherEast Carolina Universityen_US
dc.subjectCultural anthropologyen_US
dc.subjectAsian studiesen_US
dc.subjectFood scienceen_US
dc.subjectAmerican fast fooden_US
dc.subjectBeijing (China)en_US
dc.subjectChinese consumptionen_US
dc.subjectCulture representationen_US
dc.subjectModernityen_US
dc.subjectSocial relationshipsen_US
dc.subject.lcshConvenience foods--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshFood preferences--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshFood--Sensory evaluation--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshNutrition--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshFood habits--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshFood--Quality--China--Beijing
dc.subject.lcshFast food restaurants--China--Beijing
dc.titleA Taste of Culture : Perceptions About American Fast Food in Chinaen_US
dc.typeMaster's Thesisen_US

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