Self-control in the supermarket

C. Nederkoorn*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleProfessional

Abstract

According to contemporary dual system models, a motivational system determines the directions and strengths of someone's desires. The inhibitory control system can overrule these motivational drives, making it possible that more deliberate long term goals prevail. Consequently, especially when people are highly motivated to eat snack food, inhibitory control is supposed to influence actual intake. In three separate studies, the interaction between motivational drive and inhibitory control was studied. Results showed that when participants were hungry, inhibitory control predicted their food intake (study 1) and their purchases of snack food in a supermarket (study 2). For participants with high preferences for snack food, inhibitory control predicted weight gain over one year (study 3). Practical implications of the results for prevention and treatment are discussed.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)269-275
JournalPsychologie & Gezondheid
Volume39
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2011

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