"Eating lightly" and the self-presentation of femininity

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Eating Behavior Research

Background:

• Social desirability and self-presentation influence various human behaviors.
• Eating patterns can be modulated by social context and perceived partner expectations.
• Existing theories suggest self-monitoring and identity management impact social conduct.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate how social desirability and gender interact to affect eating behavior in a social setting.
• To examine the role of perceived partner awareness of self-presentation in modulating food intake.
• To test predictions from analytic-identity theory regarding self-presentation and eating in social interactions.

Main Methods:

• Experiment 1: Male and female subjects snacked during a get-acquainted study with manipulated social desirability of same-sex or opposite-sex partners.
• Experiment 2: Female subjects snacked with a desirable male partner after receiving feedback on masculine or feminine interests, with manipulated partner awareness.
• Food intake was measured as the primary dependent variable in both experiments.

Main Results:

• Female subjects consumed significantly less food when interacting with a desirable male partner.
• Male subjects showed a tendency to eat less with female partners, regardless of desirability.
• In Experiment 2, women ate less when their masculine interests were known to the partner, and less when feminine interests were perceived as unknown.

Conclusions:

• Social context, particularly the presence of a desirable opposite-sex partner, significantly influences women's eating behavior.
• Self-presentation goals, influenced by perceived partner awareness and gendered interests, modulate food consumption.
• Findings have implications for understanding eating disorders and the complex interplay of social factors in eating behaviors.