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Does social-norm messaging influence expected satiety and ideal portion-size selection?
1School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Leicestershire, LE11 3TU, UK.
Appetite
|December 11, 2023
Summary
Food-to-mealtime norms influence expected satiety and ideal portion size. However, social norms did not significantly alter these perceptions or interact with established food-time effects in three experimental studies.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral Science
- Food Psychology
- Social Norms Research
Background:
- Food perception, including expected satiety and ideal portion size, is influenced by established food-to-mealtime norms.
- Social norms are hypothesized to potentially modulate these perceptions, affecting eating behaviors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether social norms can influence expected satiety and ideal portion size.
- To examine if social norms interact with the established food-to-mealtime effect on food perception.
Main Methods:
- Three experimental studies (N=235, 200, 208) were conducted.
- Participants were exposed to social norm messages regarding pasta consumption at breakfast.
- Expected satiety, ideal portion size, and food-to-mealtime congruence were measured.
Main Results:
- A significant main effect of food-to-mealtime congruence was observed across all studies, with participants selecting smaller portions of pasta for breakfast versus lunch.
- No significant main effects or interactions were found for the social norm manipulation on expected satiety or ideal portion size.
- Social norms did not modulate the food-to-mealtime effect.
Conclusions:
- The food-to-mealtime effect on expected satiety and ideal portion size is robust.
- Simple social norm statements, as used in these studies, do not appear to modulate these food perceptions or interact with the food-to-mealtime effect.
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