The Energy Effect of Food Processing Among Successful and Unsuccessful Restrained Eaters: An Eye Movement Study about Attention Bias

Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2016, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (4) : 956-963.

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PDF(931 KB)
Journal of Psychological Science ›› 2016, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (4) : 956-963.

The Energy Effect of Food Processing Among Successful and Unsuccessful Restrained Eaters: An Eye Movement Study about Attention Bias

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Abstract

Base on the incentive sensitization model, reward-related cues in the environment, acquire motivational properties, or incentive salience, through classical conditioning (i.e., repeated association between the cue and intake of the rewarding substance). Consequently, these cues come to be perceived as attractive and “wanted.” As a result, reward-related cues automatically capture (i.e., bias) attention, stimulate craving, and guide behavior toward substance acquisition and consumption. For the success or failure of restrained eating is caused by the attention bias toward food. The goal of the present study was to investigate components of the attention bias toward food among successful restrained eaters(S-REs), unsuccessful restrained eaters(US-REs), and unrestrained eaters(UREs). We hypothesized that when high or low calorie food pictures match with non-food, S-REs and US-REs would show vigilance-avoid pattern to follow the diet goal. While high and low calorie food pictures match, due to increased food temptation, US-REs would show vigilance-maintenance pattern, but S-REs have enhanced inhibition ability also show vigilance-avoid pattern. The research use eye movement (EM) tracking assessed biases in specific component processes of visual attention (i.e., orientation, detection, and maintenance of gaze) in relation to high and low calorie food pictures. Through The Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire, we were studied 30 women with S-REs, 30 women with US-REs and 30 women with UREs. What’s more the eye movements were recorded while participants completed a task that freedom to browse pictures pairs for 2000 ms. We use the high or low calorie food with non-food matching, besides we also use the high and low calorie food matching. When high or low calorie food pictures match with non-food, S-REs show vigilance-avoid pattern that is speed detection, early and total avoid bias toward high calorie food. US-REs show avoid - maintenance pattern that they were less likely to direct their initial gaze toward high calorie food, but once noticed appears to maintenance bias. UREs only showed early avoid bias toward low calorie food. Specifically, S-REs had a shorter first fixation duration on high calorie food pictures compared to US-REs. While high and low calorie food pictures match, S-REs show vigilance- maintenance pattern that they have early orienting and maintenance bias toward high calorie food. US-REs show vigilance- maintenance pattern that is early orienting and maintenance even total maintenance bias toward high calorie food. UREs also show vigilance- maintenance pattern that who have early orienting and speed detection even total maintenance bias toward high calorie food. Specifically, compared to US-REs, S-REs had a shorter total gaze duration on high calorie food pictures. In sum, we found the energy effect of food information processing among S-REs and US-REs. The results showed S-REs and US-REs had different attention bias pattern toward high calorie food pictures. Eye movement evidence indicated that all participant showed more attention to high calorie food rather than low calorie food, it means restrained eater(REs) prefer high calorie food. Besides compare with S-REs, US-REs showed more attention to high calorie food, but less attention to low calorie food. In the future study, we should intervening participant’s attention bias toward high calorie food to promote the success of the restrained eating.

Key words

successful restrained eaters / unsuccessful restrained eaters / food energy / attention bias / eye-movements

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The Energy Effect of Food Processing Among Successful and Unsuccessful Restrained Eaters: An Eye Movement Study about Attention Bias[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2016, 39(4): 956-963
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