The mediating role of satisfaction, norms and conflict on families's food selection in Malaysia

Human eating behavior in food selection can be influenced by intrinsic values such as
liking, taste, and odor, and extrinsic factors such as social, culture, and economy. Literature
reviewed indicated that social, culture, family or group influences might outweigh the intrinsic
trigger factors. Therefore, the objective of this study is to apply the proposed model by previous
researchers in the Malaysian family setting. The model proposed the relationship between personal
norms with satisfaction, social norms and preference conflict in making family food selection.
This study was done in Klang Valley using the convenience sampling method and data were
gathered using a questionnaire survey form. Survey respondents were Malaysians of at least 18
years of age, married with children and those who were responsible for preparing the meal for
family members. 190 respondents participated in this study. The result showed that there is a
significant mediating role by satisfaction and social norms, between personal norm and family
food selection, while preference conflict is not a significant mediator. Mediation analysis and
regression analysis was done to determine the most influential factors in family food selection and
found the mediating role of social norms as the strongest compared to satisfaction. In conclusion,
the model of personal norms, satisfaction, social norms, and preference conflict proposed by
previous researchers, which was done in Western countries, had different results when applied to
the Malaysian family setting. This could be due to the culture of more consensuses rather than
individualism practiced by most Malaysian families compared to western families as far as family
food selection is concerned.