Yukon Ho, Bill Watterson, Andrews and McMeel, 1989

Neophobia is defined as a fear of anything new. Many animals are neophobic in terms of food as protection against poisons or other substances that might make them ill. When they are confronted with a new food, they will initially avoid it. After a while, they may taste-test a tiny piece of it, enough to discover whether it will injure them or not, yet in a small enough quantity so that they will not be severely ill in any case. If it tastes good and causes them no bodily harm, they will then add this food into the repertoire of things they will eat.

Children aged two and older often exhibit a similar neophobia, demonstrating picky tendencies and an unwillingness to taste anything new. These children, like Calvin in the comic strip, have an advantage over other animals because the food their parents force them to eat is not poisonous. Although Calvin may not like the taste of the food his mother has prepared, he has no need to fear that the little taste he has taken will cause him bodily harm (although, through his dramatic show, he apparently wishes to show his mother that he believes it will).