This research investigates consumer behavior when selecting snacks and beverages from vending machines in educational settings. The study aims to discern the impact of age on decision-making processes, perceptions, and memory factors related to product choices. Three experiments involved eye-tracking technology to monitor visual attention and a questionnaire to gather additional insights. The experiments analyzed the number of fixations, perceptions, overall product impressions, and memory influence. The sample comprised 90 adults aged 18 to 65 from the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali. This sample includes a population distribution of 60% women and 40% men. Additionally, the socioeconomic distribution across economic levels was reported as follows: 40% falling within levels 1, 2, and 3, and 10% within levels 4, 5, and 6. The experiments revealed age-related differences in consumer behavior. Older individuals placed greater emphasis on healthier beverages, whereas young-adult individuals favored healthier snacks. Perception differences existed between age groups for beverages and snacks. Young-adult participants exhibited stronger positive perceptions of somewhat healthy options. Memory influenced choices, with young-adult participants relying more on memory cues. The findings provide valuable insights for tailoring marketing strategies and enhancing public policy initiatives to promote healthier vending machine choices.

这项研究调查了消费者在教育环境中从自动售货机选择零食和饮料时的行为。该研究旨在了解年龄对与产品选择相关的决策过程、感知和记忆因素的影响。三项实验涉及眼动追踪技术来监测视觉注意力，并通过问卷调查来收集更多见解。实验分析了注视次数、感知、整体产品印象和记忆影响。样本包括来自 Pontificia Universidad Javeriana Cali 的 90 名年龄在 18 岁至 65 岁之间的成年人。该样本的人口分布为 60% 女性和 40% 男性。此外，不同经济级别的社会经济分布如下：40% 属于 1、2 和 3 级，10% 属于 4、5 和 6 级。实验揭示了消费者行为中与年龄相关的差异。老年人更注重健康饮料，而年轻人则喜欢更健康的零食。不同年龄段的人对饮料和零食的看法存在差异。年轻的成年参与者对健康的选择表现出更强烈的积极看法。记忆影响选择，年轻的成年参与者更多地依赖记忆线索。研究结果为制定营销策略和加强公共政策举措以促进更健康的自动售货机选择提供了宝贵的见解。