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Forbidden fruit: does thinking about a prohibited food lead to its consumption?
1Department of Psychology, Franz Hall Box 951563, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1563, USA. mann@psych.ucla.edu
The International Journal of Eating Disorders
|March 23, 2001
Summary
Trying to resist tempting foods can increase thoughts about them, and perceived restrictions can heighten desire. However, this doesn't always lead to overeating forbidden foods.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- The urge to overeat foods one is trying to resist is a common experience.
- This phenomenon may be explained by ironic process theory or reactance theory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To test ironic process and reactance accounts of overeating.
- To investigate the effects of prohibition versus choice on food desire and consumption.
Main Methods:
- Two studies involved participants being prohibited or choosing to avoid a specific food.
- Food consumption, thoughts, and desire were measured before and after the restriction period.
Main Results:
- Food thoughts increased when participants were required to avoid or chose to avoid the food, aligning with ironic process theory.
- Food desire increased only when avoidance was required (reactance theory), not when it was a choice.
- Despite increased thoughts and desire, participants did not overeat the forbidden food.
Conclusions:
- Increased thoughts about a food do not necessarily lead to overindulgence.
- Enhanced desire for a food, even when mandated, does not automatically result in overeating.
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