Pleasure or Health? The Role of Mental Simulation in Desire and Food Choices
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Theoretical Framework
1.1.1. Desire/Motivation and Food Choice
1.1.2. Attention
2. Materials and Methods
2.1. Participants
2.2. Procedure
2.2.1. Approach-Avoidance Procedure (AAP)
2.2.2. Dot Probe Task (DPT)
2.3. Apparatus and Materials
2.4. Stimuli
2.4.1. Approach-Avoidance Procedure (AAP)
2.4.2. Dot Probe Task (DPT)
2.5. Design and Data Analyses
2.5.1. Approach-Avoidance Procedure (AAP)
2.5.2. Dot Probe Task (DPT)
3. Results
3.1. Baseline Measures
3.2. Effect of Mental Simulation on Desire
3.2.1. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Vice Food (Chocolate Cookies)
3.2.2. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Virtue Food (Banana)
3.3. Other Measures
3.4. Effect of Mental Simulation on Choice between Vice and Virtue Foods
3.5. Effect of Mental Simulation on Implicit Motivation (AAP)
3.5.1. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Vice Food (Chocolate Cookies)
3.5.2. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Virtue Food (Banana)
3.6. Effect of Mental Simulation on Attentional Bias (DPT)
3.6.1. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Vice Food (Chocolate Cookies)
3.6.2. Effect of Mentally Simulating the Virtue Food (Banana)
3.7. Summary of the Results
4. Discussion
Future Research and Implications
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Papies, E.K.; Barsalou, L.W. Grounding desire and motivated behavior: A theoretical framework and review of empirical evidence. In The Psychology of Desire; Hofmann, W., Nordgren, L.F., Eds.; The Guilford Press: New York, NY, USA, 2015; pp. 36–60. [Google Scholar]
- Papies, E.K.; Barsalou, L.W.; Rusz, D. Understanding Desire for Food and Drink: A Grounded-Cognition Approach. Curr. Dir. Psychol. Sci. 2020, 29, 193–198. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Barsalou, L.W. Situated conceptualization. In Handbook of Categorization in Cognitive Science; Henri, C., Claire, L., Eds.; Elsevier Ltd.: Amsterdam, The Netherland, 2005. [Google Scholar]
- Barsalou, L.W. Simulation, situated conceptualization, and prediction. Philos. Trans. R. Soc. B Biol. Sci. 2009, 364, 1281–1289. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Papies, E.K. Tempting food words activate eating simulations. Front. Psychol. 2013, 4, 1–12. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Clark, A. Whatever next? Predictive brains, situated agents, and the future of cognitive science. Behav. Brain Sci. 2013, 36, 181–253. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Armel, K.C.; Beaumel, A.; Rangel, A. Biasing simple choices by manipulating relative visual attention. Judgm. Decis. Mak. 2008, 3, 396–403. [Google Scholar]
- Werthmann, J.; Roefs, A.; Nederkoorn, C.; Mogg, K.; Bradley, B.P.; Jansen, A. Can(not) Take my Eyes off it: Attention Bias for Food in Overweight Participants. Health Psychol. 2011, 30, 561–569. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Macleod, C.; Mathews, A. The Annual Review of Clinical Psychology is online. Annu. Rev. Clin. Psychol. 2012, 8, 189–217. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Kakoschke, N.; Kemps, E.; Tiggemann, M. Approach bias modification training and consumption: A review of the literature. Addict. Behav. 2017, 64, 21–28. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Werthmann, J.; Jansen, A.; Roefs, A. Worry or craving? A selective review of evidence for food-related attention biases in obese individuals, eating-disorder patients, restrained eaters and healthy samples. Proc. Nutr. Soc. 2014, 74, 99–114. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Werthmann, J.; Field, M.; Roefs, A.; Nederkoorn, C.; Jansen, A. Attention bias for chocolate increases chocolate consumption—An attention bias modification study. J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry 2014, 45, 136–143. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kakoschke, N.; Kemps, E.; Tiggemann, M. Attentional bias modification encourages healthy eating. Eat. Behav. 2014, 15, 120–124. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Muñoz-Vilches, N.C.; van Trijp, H.C.M.; Piqueras-Fiszman, B. Tell me what you imagine and I will tell you what you want: The effects of mental simulation on desire and food choice. Food Qual. Prefer. 2020, 83, 103892. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Muñoz-Vilches, N.C.; van Trijp, H.C.M.; Piqueras-Fiszman, B. The impact of instructed mental simulation on wanting and choice between vice and virtue food products. Food Qual. Prefer. 2019, 73, 182–191. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Lange, C.; Schwartz, C.; Hachefa, C.; Cornil, Y.; Nicklaus, S.; Chandon, P. Portion size selection in children: Effect of sensory imagery for snacks varying in energy density. Appetite 2020. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Chang, B.P.I.; Mulders, M.D.G.H.; Cserjesi, R.; Cleeremans, A.; Klein, O. Does immersion or detachment facilitate healthy eating? Comparing the effects of sensory imagery and mindful decentering on attitudes and behavior towards healthy and unhealthy food. Appetite 2018, 130, 256–267. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Cornil, Y.; Chandon, P. Pleasure as a Substitute for Size: How Multisensory Imagery Can Make People Happier with Smaller Food Portions. J. Mark. Res. 2016, 53, 847–864. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Krishna, A.; Cian, L.; Sokolova, T. The power of sensory marketing in advertising. Curr. Opin. Psychol. 2016, 10, 142–147. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Roose, G.; Mulier, L. Healthy Advertising Coming to Its Senses: The Effectiveness of Sensory Appeals in Healthy Food Advertising. Foods 2020, 9, 51. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Papies, E.K. Grounding Desire. Appl. Soc. Psychol. 2020, 142–160. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Papies, E.K.; Best, M.; Gelibter, E.; Barsalou, L.W. The Role of Simulations in Consumer Experiences and Behavior: Insights from the Grounded Cognition Theory of Desire. J. Assoc. Consum. Res. 2017, 2, 402–418. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- May, J.; Andrade, J.; Kavanagh, D.J.; Hetherington, M. Elaborated Intrusion Theory: A Cognitive-Emotional Theory of Food Craving. Curr. Obes. Rep. 2012. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kavanagh, D.J.; Andrade, J.; May, J. Imaginary Relish and Exquisite Torture: The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of Desire. Psychol. Rev. 2005, 112, 446–467. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- May, J.; Kavanagh, D.J.; Andrade, J. The Elaborated Intrusion Theory of desire: A 10-year retrospective and implications for addiction treatments. Addict. Behav. 2015, 44, 29–34. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Barsalou, L.W. Grounded cognition. Annu. Rev. Psychol. 2008, 59, 617–645. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Taylor, S.E.; Pham, L.B.; Rivkin, I.D.; Armor, D.A. Harnessing the imagination: Mental simulation, self-regulation, and coping. Am. Psychol. 1998, 53, 429–439. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kosslyn, S.M.; Ganis, G.; Thompson, W.L. Neural foundations of imagery. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2001, 635–642. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Keesman, M.; Aarts, H.; Vermeent, S.; Hafner, M.; Papies, E.K. Consumption simulations induce salivation to food cues. PLoS ONE 2016, 11, e0165449. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Krishna, A.; Morrin, M.; Sayin, E. Smellizing cookies and salivating: A focus on olfactory imagery. J. Consum. Res. 2014, 41, 18–34. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Petit, O.; Spence, C.; Velasco, C.; Woods, A.T.; Cheok, A.D. Changing the influence of portion size on consumer behavior via imagined consumption. J. Bus. Res. 2017. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Piqueras-Fiszman, B.; Kraus, A.A.; Spence, C. “Yummy” versus “Yucky”! Explicit and implicit approach-avoidance motivations towards appealing and disgusting foods. Appetite 2014, 78, 193–202. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Krajbich, I.; Armel, C.; Rangel, A. Visual fixations and the computation and comparison of value in simple choice. Nat. Neurosci. 2010, 13, 1292–1298. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- van der Laan, L.N.; Papies, E.K.; Hooge, I.T.C.; Smeets, P.A.M. Goal-directed visual attention drives health goal priming: An eye-tracking experiment. Health Psychol. 2017, 36, 82–90. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Hare, T.A.; Malmaud, J.; Rangel, A. Focusing attention on the health aspects of foods changes value signals in vmPFC and improves dietary choice. J. Neurosci. 2011, 31, 11077–11087. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Hege, M.A.; Veit, R.; Krumsiek, J.; Kullmann, S.; Heni, M.; Rogers, P.J.; Brunstrom, J.M.; Fritsche, A.; Preissl, H. Eating less or more—Mindset induced changes in neural correlates of pre-meal planning. Appetite 2018, 125, 492–501. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Werthmann, J.; Jansen, A.; Roefs, A. Make up your mind about food: A healthy mindset attenuates attention for high-calorie food in restrained eaters. Appetite 2016, 105, 53–59. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Van Strien, T.; Frijters, J.E.R.; Bergers, G.P.A.; Defares, P.B. The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire (DEBQ) for assessment of restrained, emotional, and external eating behavior. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 1986, 5, 295–315. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Papies, E.K.; Stroebe, W.; Aarts, H. The allure of forbidden food: On the role of attention in self-regulation. J. Exp. Soc. Psychol. 2008, 44, 1283–1292. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Mathôt, S.; Schreij, D.; Theeuwes, J. OpenSesame: An open-source, graphical experiment builder for the social sciences. Behav. Res. Methods 2012, 314–324. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Schneider, W.; Eschman, A.; Zuccolotto, A. E-Prime USER’S GUIDE; Psychology Software Tools, Inc.: Pittsburgh, PA, USA, 2002. [Google Scholar]
- Blechert, J.; Meule, A.; Busch, N.A.; Ohla, K. Food-pics: An image database for experimental research on eating and appetite. Front. Psychol. 2014, 5, 617. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Morquecho-Campos, P.; de Graaf, K.; Boesveldt, S. Smelling our appetite? The influence of food odors on congruent appetite, food preferences and intake. Food Qual. Prefer. 2020, 85, 103959. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Chambaron, S.; Chisin, Q.; Chabanet, C.; Issanchou, S.; Brand, G. Impact of olfactory and auditory priming on the attraction to foods with high energy density. Appetite 2015, 95, 74–80. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Gaillet-Torrent, M.; Sulmont-Rossé, C.; Issanchou, S.; Chabanet, C.; Chambaron, S. Impact of a non-attentively perceived odour on subsequent food choices. Appetite 2014, 76, 17–22. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Gaillet, M.; Sulmont-Rossé, C.; Issanchou, S.; Chabanet, C.; Chambaron, S. Priming effects of an olfactory food cue on subsequent food-related behaviour. Food Qual. Prefer. 2013, 30, 274–281. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Huyghe, E.; Verstraeten, J.; Geuens, M.; Van Kerckhove, A. Clicks as a healthy alternative to bricks: How online grocery shopping reduces vice purchases. J. Mark. Res. 2017, 54, 61–74. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zajonc, R.B. Feeling and Thinking Preferences Need No Inferences. Am. Psychol. 1980, 35, 151. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Fishbach, A.; Friedman, R.S.; Kruglanski, A.W. Leading us not into temptation: Momentary allurements elicit overriding goal activation. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 2003, 84, 296–309. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Sullivan, N.; Hutcherson, C.; Harris, A.; Rangel, A. Dietary self-control is related to the speed with which health and taste attributes are processed. Psychol. Sci. 2015, 26, 122–134. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Motoki, K.; Saito, T.; Nouchi, R.; Kawashima, R.; Sugiura, M. Tastiness but not healthfulness captures automatic visual attention: Preliminary evidence from an eye-tracking study. Food Qual. Prefer. 2018, 64, 148–153. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kahneman, D. Maps of Bounded Rationality: Psychology for Behavioral Economics by Daniel Kahneman Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of American Economic Association publications for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that. Am. Econ. Rev. 2003, 93, 1449–1475. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [Green Version]
- Lang, P.J. The emotion probe. Studies of motivation and attention. Am. Psychol. 1995, 50, 372–385. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Kemps, E.; Tiggemann, M.; Elford, J. Sustained effects of attentional re-training on chocolate consumption. J. Behav. Ther. Exp. Psychiatry J. 2015, 49, 94–100. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed]
- Kemps, E.; Tiggemann, M.; Orr, J.; Grear, J. Attentional retraining can reduce chocolate consumption. J. Exp. Psychol. Appl. 2014, 20, 94–102. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Papies, E.K.; Stroebe, W.; Aarts, H. Healthy Cognition: Processes of Self- Regulatory Success in Restrained Eating. PSPB 2008, 34, 1290–1300. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef] [PubMed] [Green Version]
- Werthmann, J.; Roefs, A.; Nederkoorn, C.; Jansen, A. Desire lies in the eyes: Attention bias for chocolate is related to craving and self-endorsed eating permission. Appetite 2013, 70, 81–89. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Zhang, S.; Cui, L.; Sun, X.; Zhang, Q. The effect of attentional bias modification on eating behavior among women craving high-calorie food. Appetite 2018, 129, 135–142. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
- Harvey, K.; Kemps, E.; Tiggemann, M. The nature of imagery processes underlying food cravings. Br. J. Health Psychol. 2005, 10, 49–56. [Google Scholar] [CrossRef]
Baseline measures | Desire for the virtue and vice food Expected enjoyment for the virtue and vice food Hunger |
Dot probe task (DPT) (framed as “training”) | Attentional bias towards vice food pictures Attentional bias towards virtue food pictures |
Mental simulation | Process simulation (imagining the consumption) Outcome simulation (imagining the post-consumption) |
Measures after simulation | Desire for the virtue and vice food Expected enjoyment for the virtue and vice food Hunger |
Dot probe task (DPT) | Attentional bias towards vice food pictures Attentional bias towards virtue food pictures |
Approach-Avoidance Procedure (AAP) | Relative approach vs. avoidance towards virtue and vice food pictures |
Food choice | Virtue food vs. vice food |
DEBQ | Restrained eating, emotional eating, and external eating. |
Product Category of the Simulation | Product Choice | Process | Outcome | Chi-Square |
---|---|---|---|---|
Imagining a vice product | Vice choice | 65.0% a | 31.8% b | χ2 (1) = 4.624, p = 0.032 |
Virtue choice | 35.0% a | 68.2% b | ||
Imagining a virtue product | Vice choice | 60.0% a | 44.4% a | χ2 (1) = 0.920, p = 0.338 |
Virtue choice | 40.0% a | 55.6% a |
Product Imagined | Vice Product (Chocolate Cookies) | Virtue Product (Banana) | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Mental Simulation | Process | Outcome | Process | Outcome |
Desire for imagined food | Increase desire for imagined food | Decrease desire for imagined food | Increase desire for imagined food | Increase desire for imagined food |
Choice between vice and virtue | Greater likelihood for vice choice | Greater likelihood for virtue choice | No significant but same trend as with imagined vice food | No significant but same trend as with imagined vice food |
Implicit motivation (AAP) | Neutral motivation for healthy and unhealthy foods | Neutral motivation for healthy foods and high motivation for unhealthy food | Moderate motivation for healthy and unhealthy foods, although no significant | Moderate motivation for healthy and neutral motivation for unhealthy foods, although no significant |
Attentional bias (DPT) | Greater attention towards all types of food | Greater attention towards all types of food | No effect | No effect |
© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Share and Cite
Muñoz-Vilches, N.C.; van Trijp, H.C.M.; Piqueras-Fiszman, B. Pleasure or Health? The Role of Mental Simulation in Desire and Food Choices. Foods 2020, 9, 1099. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081099
Muñoz-Vilches NC, van Trijp HCM, Piqueras-Fiszman B. Pleasure or Health? The Role of Mental Simulation in Desire and Food Choices. Foods. 2020; 9(8):1099. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081099
Chicago/Turabian StyleMuñoz-Vilches, Naomí C., Hans C. M. van Trijp, and Betina Piqueras-Fiszman. 2020. "Pleasure or Health? The Role of Mental Simulation in Desire and Food Choices" Foods 9, no. 8: 1099. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods9081099