Influence of Verbal and Non‐Verbal Communication on Panel Efficiency in Consensus‐Based Sensory Profiling Consensus Profiling and Communication

ABSTRACT

Consensus‐based sensory profiling relies on group discussion to establish shared sensory descriptions, yet the influence of communication modalities on panel efficiency remains unclear. This study investigated how verbal and non‐verbal cues affect consensus formation, wine discrimination, classification, and memorization. Sixteen trained assessors divided into four panels evaluated three red wines under three interaction conditions: face‐to‐face oral, oral without visual contact, and written communication. While consensus rates did not differ significantly across modalities, only the oral condition without visual contact produced coherent and reliable wine classification, suggesting improved analytical focus and reduced social influence. Conversely, face‐to‐face interaction yielded the best memorization performance, likely due to richer multimodal encoding through verbal and non‐verbal cues. Written communication resulted in the lowest memorization and weakest classification, reflecting higher cognitive load and reduced interactional efficiency. These findings demonstrate that communication modality shapes sensory profiling outcomes by modulating social influence, cognitive processing, and information encoding.