Research Interests: Obesity, Multidisciplinary, Appetite, Humans, Female, and 3 moreMale, Feeding Behavior, and Body Weight
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Pre-exposure to food cues has often been shown to increase food intake, especially in restrained eaters. This study investigated the role of expectations in the effect of such pre-exposure on food intake. A sample of 88 undergraduate... more
Pre-exposure to food cues has often been shown to increase food intake, especially in restrained eaters. This study investigated the role of expectations in the effect of such pre-exposure on food intake. A sample of 88 undergraduate women was exposed to visual food cues (photos of grapes and chocolate-chip cookies). In a 2 × 2 × 2 design, participants were explicitly told to expect that they would be tasting and rating either grapes or chocolate-chip cookies. Participants subsequently completed an ostensible taste test, in which they tasted and rated either grapes or cookies, such that half were given the food that they had been led to expect and the other half were given the other food. Participants' restraint status (restrained versus unrestrained) was based on their scores on the Revised Restraint Scale (Herman & Polivy, 1980). A significant interaction between expected food and restraint status was found. When participants were led to expect that they would be tasting grape...
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A study was performed to compare the affective responsiveness of dieters and nondieters. Subjects rated the emotional impact of projected slides, in a situa-tion similar to that used by Pliner, Meyer, and Blankstein with obese and normal... more
A study was performed to compare the affective responsiveness of dieters and nondieters. Subjects rated the emotional impact of projected slides, in a situa-tion similar to that used by Pliner, Meyer, and Blankstein with obese and normal subjects. Dieters, like the obese, were ...
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An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of alcohol on the eating behavior of normally restrained and unrestrained eaters. The ice-cream con-sumption of 55 female college students was measured in a taste rating context following... more
An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of alcohol on the eating behavior of normally restrained and unrestrained eaters. The ice-cream con-sumption of 55 female college students was measured in a taste rating context following their consumption of alcohol or placebo, ...
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This study examined the influence of expectancies about rewards from thinness (RFT) on unhealthy dieting. Females (N=63) participated in a structured discussion about either the benefits or costs of dieting, and target attitudes and... more
This study examined the influence of expectancies about rewards from thinness (RFT) on unhealthy dieting. Females (N=63) participated in a structured discussion about either the benefits or costs of dieting, and target attitudes and behaviors were assessed immediately and at 4-week follow-up. Results suggest that (1) outcome expectancies are important in one's decision to diet; (2) compared to unrestrained eaters, restrained eaters have elevated RFT expectancies; (3) RFT expectancies are amenable to change; and (4) modifying RFT expectancies can shift dieting attitudes and behaviors (participants in the negative expectancy condition had more accurate perceptions of healthy weight, reported intentions to diet less often and less strictly in the future, and made more liberal food choices in a subsequent meal situation). Implications for prevention of unrealistic expectations and unhealthy dieting behaviors are discussed.
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Research Interests: Genetics and Twin Studies
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We review the history of "external cues" as an important factor in the control of human food intake. We begin with Schachter's proposal that obese individuals are especially (and perhaps exclusively) responsive... more
We review the history of "external cues" as an important factor in the control of human food intake. We begin with Schachter's proposal that obese individuals are especially (and perhaps exclusively) responsive to external food cues and examine subsequent modifications and challenges to that model and the decline and resurgence of research on external cues. We introduce a distinction between normative and sensory external cues. Normative cues (e.g., portion size) refer to indicators of appropriate intake, whereas sensory cues (e.g., palatability) refer to the hedonic appeal of the food. We propose that normative cues affect everyone, whereas sensory cues, while affecting everyone, have a more powerful effect on some types of individuals (e.g., the obese) than on others.
Research Interests: Obesity, Motivation, Biological Sciences, Humans, Sensation, and 3 moreCues, Eating, and Psychological Theory
An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of a same-sex model on females' eating behavior. The model ate either a large or small quantity along with the subject in an ad lib satiation context, and either did or did not identify... more
An experiment was conducted to assess the effects of a same-sex model on females' eating behavior. The model ate either a large or small quantity along with the subject in an ad lib satiation context, and either did or did not identify herself as a dieter. Subjects were 86 female undergraduates, split into normally dieting or nondieting subgroups. Number of sandwich quarters consumed ad lib following a small fixed preload was found to vary as a function of (a) model's consumption (b) model's dieter status and (c) subject's dieter status; there were no significant interactions. A subsequent taste-rating assessment of nut consumption, in which the model was present but could neither see nor be seen by the subject, indicated that the three factors which had previously affected sandwich consumption independently combined to affect nut consumption interdependently. The results were interpreted in terms of the effect of the model on the quantity and pattern of consumption, and conclusions were drawn about the dynamics of restrained and unrestrained eating and implications for therapy.
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ABSTRACT Weight-related self-evaluation has been described as the fundamental maladaptive cognitive feature of disordered eating. It is not clear, however, whether the process of determining personal-worth based on an evaluation of body... more
ABSTRACT Weight-related self-evaluation has been described as the fundamental maladaptive cognitive feature of disordered eating. It is not clear, however, whether the process of determining personal-worth based on an evaluation of body size is specific to the self, or whether it is relevant to the evaluation of people in general. Thirty-three eating disordered patients and 54 undergraduates read an article about a woman who was described as either overweight or slender and evaluated the woman on several dimensions. Both undergraduates and eating disordered patients rated the heavy woman as less attractive than the thin woman. However, the patients' evaluation of the overweight target's attractiveness was significantly more negative than the undergraduates'. Patients also rated the overweight woman as less popular and claimed that they liked the overweight woman less than the thin woman. These effects were not present among the undergraduate students. Finally, the eating disorder participants rated the overweight woman as more overweight and less intelligent than did the undergraduate students. The results suggest that weight-related evaluation in eating disorders extends beyond the self to include the evaluation of other people.
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The persistence of dieters' weight loss efforts, despite repeated failures, suggests that there must be some interim reinforcement for dieting that sustains the behavior. We propose that self-change efforts capitalize on a... more
The persistence of dieters' weight loss efforts, despite repeated failures, suggests that there must be some interim reinforcement for dieting that sustains the behavior. We propose that self-change efforts capitalize on a "false hope syndrome," in which the initial commitment to change brings immediate rewards (largely improvements in self-image), regardless of the eventual outcome. Eighty female students chose whether they would attempt either to reduce their weight or to increase their study time over a 2-week period. A control group did not attempt self-change. The effects of making a resolution to change differed for novice and veteran self-changers (nondieters and chronic dieters). Nondieters showed an immediate improvement in their mood and self-image after making a resolution, but this subjective improvement dissipated over the course of the study. Veteran dieters showed a mixed response, initially feeling both more depressed, yet more hopeful of success. These results are discussed in terms of variations on the false hope syndrome for different kinds of individuals (novices and veterans).
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... Abstract. Memory for weight-, food-, and appearance-related information was examined in female restrained and unrestrained college students and in female obese and eating-disordered patients. Subjects read an essay about ...
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In this chapter, we review the research literature on sex and gender differences in hunger and eating behavior. If you ask people about these types of differences in hunger and eating, they will readily identify some: women exhibit... more
In this chapter, we review the research literature on sex and gender differences in hunger and eating behavior. If you ask people about these types of differences in hunger and eating, they will readily identify some: women exhibit certain distinctive cravings during pregnancy and certain phases of the menstrual cycle; men eat more than women do; men are more likely
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We report on the development and preliminary evaluation of a 10-week group program intended to raise women's consciousness about the costs and side effects of dieting and to provide alternatives to strenuous weight loss efforts.... more
We report on the development and preliminary evaluation of a 10-week group program intended to raise women's consciousness about the costs and side effects of dieting and to provide alternatives to strenuous weight loss efforts. Eighteen female participants were assessed on ...
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The persistence of dieters' weight loss efforts, despite repeated failures, suggests that there must be some interim reinforcement for dieting that sustains the behavior. We propose that self-change efforts capitalize on a "false... more
The persistence of dieters' weight loss efforts, despite repeated failures, suggests that there must be some interim reinforcement for dieting that sustains the behavior. We propose that self-change efforts capitalize on a "false hope syndrome," in which the initial commitment to change brings immediate rewards (largely improvements in self-image), regardless of the eventual outcome. Eighty female students chose whether they would attempt either to reduce their weight or to increase their study time over a 2-week period. A control group did not attempt self-change. The effects of making a resolution to change differed for novice and veteran self-changers (nondieters and chronic dieters). Nondieters showed an immediate improvement in their mood and self-image after making a resolution, but this subjective improvement dissipated over the course of the study. Veteran dieters showed a mixed response, initially feeling both more depressed, yet more hopeful of success. These...
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This study investigated the accuracy of self-reported weight and height in individuals with an eating disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa [AN] and bulimia nervosa [BN]) and in individuals without an eating disorder (i.e., dieters and... more
This study investigated the accuracy of self-reported weight and height in individuals with an eating disorder (i.e., anorexia nervosa [AN] and bulimia nervosa [BN]) and in individuals without an eating disorder (i.e., dieters and nondieters). Self-reported and measured weights and heights were obtained from the eating disorder sample (n = 81) and the college student sample (n = 163) and were compared within and between the groups. Eating disorder patients were extremely accurate at self-reporting their weight. However, there was a significant difference in accuracy between AN and BN patients. AN patients slightly overreported their weight, whereas BN patients slightly underreported their weight. Both dieters and nondieters significantly underreported their weight. However, dieters significantly underreported their weight to a greater degree than did the nondieters. The implications of these subgroup differences and their specificity to weight reporting are discussed with reference to the accuracy of self-reported height.
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In order to determine the effects of selective food restriction on subsequent food intake and cravings, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: carbohydrate-restriction, protein-restriction, or control (no... more
In order to determine the effects of selective food restriction on subsequent food intake and cravings, participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: carbohydrate-restriction, protein-restriction, or control (no restriction). Participants in the restriction conditions were asked to restrict their intake of either complex carbohydrates or animal proteins for 3 days, before coming to the laboratory for an experimental
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We examined the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to restrained eating. Restrained eating was assessed by the Restraint Scale in a survey mailed to all twins enrolled in the University of Washington Twin... more
We examined the relative contributions of genetic and environmental influences to restrained eating. Restrained eating was assessed by the Restraint Scale in a survey mailed to all twins enrolled in the University of Washington Twin Registry. We used structural equation modeling to estimate genetic and nongenetic contributions to restrained eating. 1,196 monozygotic (MZ), 456 same-sex dizygotic (DZ) twins, and 447 opposite-sex twins were included in analyses. Restraint Scale scores were more closely correlated in MZ twins (r(male) = .55, r(female) = .55) than in same-sex DZ twins (r(male) = .31, r(female) = .19). Based on structural equation modeling, the estimated heritability for restrained eating, adjusted for body mass index (BMI) and sex, was 43% (95% confidence interval 35-50%). There was little evidence for common environmental effects. These results indicate an inherited component to restrained eating. Genes could influence restrained eating directly or through inherited mediators such as personality factors or tendencies to gain weight.
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Ego-strength depletion was examined as an explanation for dietary disinhibition in restrained eaters. We predicted that the depletion of ego strength resulting from having to choose whether to conform would undermine dietary restraint.... more
Ego-strength depletion was examined as an explanation for dietary disinhibition in restrained eaters. We predicted that the depletion of ego strength resulting from having to choose whether to conform would undermine dietary restraint. Participants completed an Asch-type conformity task, after which they completed a taste-rating task in which food intake was measured. As predicted, restrained eaters who repeatedly exercised choice ate significantly more than did restrained eaters who did not exercise choice. An ego-strength model of dietary restraint is discussed.
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Inaccuracies in self-reported weight are believed to represent a motivated distortion, but cognitive or perceptual biases have not been excluded. We examined the ability of participants to estimate the weight of a target person as a means... more
Inaccuracies in self-reported weight are believed to represent a motivated distortion, but cognitive or perceptual biases have not been excluded. We examined the ability of participants to estimate the weight of a target person as a means of distinguishing between motivated distortions and perceptual biases. Participants (restrained eaters and unrestrained eaters; women and men) estimated the weight of a target individual, which was compared with the actual weight of the target individual. Restrained and unrestrained eaters did not differ in their estimates of the target's weight, and men underestimated the target's weight to a greater extent than did women. The pattern of inaccuracies observed does not parallel those found in research on self-reported weight. This observation suggests that perceptual biases do not explain inaccuracies in self-reported weight and that such inaccuracies may be the result of motivated distortions. Issues regarding data analysis and presentatio...