Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 18, 2026

Errors as a Means of Reducing Impulsive Food Choice
Published on: June 5, 2016
Eating behaviour associated with differences in conflict adaptation for food pictures
Margaret Husted1, Adrian P Banks1, Ellen Seiss1
1University of Surrey, School of Psychology, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, United Kingdom.
Objective:
The goal conflict model of eating (Stroebe, Mensink, Aarts, Schut, & Kruglanski, 2008) proposes differences in eating behaviour result from peoples' experience of holding conflicting goals of eating enjoyment and weight maintenance. However, little is understood about the relationship between eating behaviour and the cognitive processes involved in conflict. This study aims to investigate associations between eating behaviour traits and cognitive conflict processes, specifically the application of cognitive control when processing distracting food pictures.
Method:
A flanker task using food and non-food pictures was used to examine individual differences in conflict adaptation. Participants responded to target pictures whilst ignoring distracting flanking pictures. Individual differences in eating behaviour traits, attention towards target pictures, and ability to apply cognitive control through adaptation to conflicting picture trials were analysed.
Results:
Increased levels of external and emotional eating were related to slower responses to food pictures indicating food target avoidance. All participants showed greater distraction by food compared to non-food pictures. Of particular significance, increased levels of emotional eating were associated with greater conflict adaptation for conflicting food pictures only.
Conclusion:
Emotional eaters demonstrate greater application of cognitive control for conflicting food pictures as part of a food avoidance strategy. This could represent an attempt to inhibit their eating enjoyment goal in order for their weight maintenance goal to dominate.
More Related Videos
05:15Author Spotlight: Accessible M&M-Based Mouse Model for Investigating Binge Eating Disorder - Insights into Eating Behaviors, Anxiety, and Neural Mechanisms
Published on: January 10, 2025
04:23A Treatment Package without Escape Extinction to Address Food Selectivity
Published on: August 21, 2015
Related Concept Videos
Conditioned Taste Aversion
A notable characteristic of conditioned taste aversion is that it often requires only a single...
Binge Eating Disorders
Regulation of Food Intake
Frustration and Conflict: Approach-Approach, Approach-Avoidance
One common type of conflict is the Approach–Approach Conflict. In this case, a person faces two desirable...
Frustration and Conflict: Avoidance-Avoidance, Double-Approach Avoidance
Taste Buds and Receptors