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Binge eating as escape from self-awareness.

T F Heatherton1, R F Baumeister

  • 1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138.

Psychological Bulletin
|July 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

Binge eating may be driven by a desire to escape self-awareness. Individuals with high standards experience distress when falling short, leading to a narrowed focus that disengages eating inhibitions.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Behavioral Science
  • Clinical Psychology

Background:

  • Binge eating disorder (BED) is a complex condition with various proposed etiologies.
  • Existing models often focus on emotional regulation but may not fully capture the cognitive mechanisms involved.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose and elaborate on the 'escape from self-awareness' model as a primary motivator for binge eating.
  • To integrate existing evidence within this novel theoretical framework.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical review and synthesis of existing research on binge eating.
  • Conceptual development of the escape from self-awareness model.

Main Results:

  • Binge eating is proposed as a coping mechanism to escape aversive self-awareness triggered by unmet high standards.
  • This escape involves narrowing attention, disinhibiting eating, and fostering irrational beliefs.
  • The model accounts for associated emotional distress, including anxiety and depression.

Conclusions:

  • The escape from self-awareness model offers a unifying perspective on binge eating.
  • It highlights the role of cognitive processes in the maintenance of binge eating behaviors.
  • Further research is warranted to empirically test the proposed model.

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