The Psychology of Eating

Organization of Presentation

• Review of the Literature• Factors Influencing Food Intake• Increasing Food Preferences • References • Contact Information

Overview of literature

• Human and animal research• How much vs. what type• Eating disorders• Common thread between us and rats• Scientific literature differs from media

information (sometimes)

Factors that Influence Food Intake

So, Now What?:Increasing Food Preferences

• Taste exposure• Flavor-flavor pairing• Flavor-nutrient• Eating when deprived

ReferencesAbramson, E. (1998). Emotional eating: What you need to know before

starting another diet. San Francisco, CA: Josey Bass Publishers. Capaldi, E. D. (ed) (1996). Why we eat what we eat. Washington D. C.: APA. Logue, A. W. (1991). The Psychology of Eating and Drinking: An

Introduction. 2nd Ed. New York, NY: W. H. Freeman and Company. Lowe, M. R., Bocarsly, M. E., Del Parigi, A. (2008). Human eating motivation

in times of plenty: Biological, Environmental, and Psychosocial Influences. In Appetite and Food Intake: Behavioral and Physiological Considerations. Harris, R. B. & Mattes, R. D. (Ed.) Boca Rotan, FL: CRC Press.

Contact Information

Toni Harris, Ph.D.Department of Psychology

tsharris@vsu.edu