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Related Experiment Videos

Changing food preference as a function of mood.

Larry Christensen1, Alisa Brooks

  • 1Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile 36688, USA. lchriste@usouthal.edu

The Journal of Psychology
|September 14, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Mood significantly impacts food choices. People believe they eat more when happy, with men reporting higher likelihoods. Specific food preferences, like snacks or sweets, also vary by mood and gender.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Food Science

Background:

  • Mood states are known to influence behavior.
  • Food consumption is a common coping mechanism for emotional distress.
  • Understanding the interplay between mood and eating is crucial for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the influence of induced mood states (sad vs. happy) on anticipated food selection.
  • To examine gender differences in mood-related food choices.
  • To explore the potential role of food types in mood regulation.

Main Methods:

  • Participants (N=98) read vignettes describing sad or happy events.
  • Participants reported likelihood of general eating and consumption of specific food types.
  • Analysis involved comparing food selection likelihoods across mood conditions and genders.

Main Results:

  • Both genders predicted increased food consumption after happy vs. sad events.
  • Men reported a significantly higher likelihood of eating than women.
  • Vegetarian snacks were favored after happy events, particularly by men.
  • Women showed a tendency to prefer sweet foods after sad events.

Conclusions:

  • Mood state demonstrably influences beliefs about future food selection.
  • Gender and mood interact to shape specific food preferences.
  • Findings support the self-medication hypothesis and highlight the role of carbohydrates in mood regulation.

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