TEA... it’s so much more satisfying when it’s in your favourite mug. Who agrees?
And it’s not just coincidence that your morning brew always hits the spot best from a particular vessel. There’s actually a real science behind it... and it’s called ‘perceived satisfaction’ Many studies have been done into this phenomenon, which sees everything from the colour to the weight of your mug affecting your perception of how the drink it contains tastes. It’s not uncommon to become attached to a ‘special cup’ for this reason. The chunkiness, hand-feel and design lend an extra something to the tea drinking experience which is hard to quantify, but easy to miss! There is a theory that heavier crockery generally makes its contents more satisfying. According to Betina Piqueras-Fiszman, assistant professor at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, people expect to feel fuller when holding a heavy versus a lighter mug, containing exactly the same amount (and type) of liquid. She said ‘it’s an example of how we conceptualise out internal mental worlds by analogy to the physical world’ Interesting stuff! Now... anyone for a cuppa?