When the land speaks: social representations of traditional foods

Abstract

Introduction. Traditional foods in Mexico are a pillar of cultural identity and economic development, especially in the eastern part of the State of Mexico. To understand their true value, it is essential to analyze the social representations (SR) that people construct around them. Objective. Identify the core and peripheral elements of consumers' social representations of traditional foods, as well as the hierarchy of the categories that make up these representations. Methodology. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted using prototypical and categorical analysis of social representation, content analysis, lexicographic analysis, and free word association techniques. A questionnaire was administered to 356 consumers in the eastern part of the State of Mexico. Results. SRs are sets formed by central cores and peripheral elements. The core constitutes a stable structure that is more resistant to transformations or changes, which strengthens these SRs, becoming a “common basis” among individuals. In this case, it was identified that the central nodes of traditional foods are “flavor,” “culture,” and “food.” On the other hand, the peripheral components are located between the represented object and the central nodes, becoming more susceptible to modifications in the representation of an object, although this does not alter the RS. Conclusion. For consumers, traditional foods represent much more than nutrition. Their perception is based on taste, culture, home, and quality. Sensory and cultural aspects are more important, surpassing factors such as cost or accessibility. This is because these foods evoke emotions, memories, and social interaction. Therefore, it is important to promote their cultural value and the multi-sensory experience they offer, rather than just highlighting their health benefits. General Area of Study: Scientific/Industrial. Specific area of study: Natural Anthropology. Type of study: Original article.