Authors: Ben (C) Fletcher, Karen J. Pine, Zoe Woodbridge,
Avril Nash
School of Psychology
University of Hertfordshire
The aim of this study is to see whether exposure to images of chocolate induces cravings and guilty feelings in females. A further aim was to examine whether these effects are heightened in the case of dieters. The participants, 85 females, saw a series of enticing media images, either of chocolate or of non-food products. Two thirds of the sample were dieting or had dieted in the past; 15% had been on seven or more diets. After viewing the images all participants completed the Attitudes to Chocolate Questionnaire (ACQ) (Benton, Greenfield, & Morgan, 1998). The different conditions (whether they saw images of chocolate or neutral images) affected only those who dieted. Dieters had significantly higher ACQ scores after viewing the chocolate images than the non-dieters, i.e. they experienced more feelings of craving and guilt after looking at pictures of chocolate. It is suggested that dietary restriction increases desire for forbidden foods, in the form of craving, and may induce negative affect such as guilt, anxiety and depression.
Fletcher, B. (C), Pine, K. J., Woodbridge, Z, & Nash, A. (2007). How visual images of chocolate affect the craving and guilt of female dieters. Appetite, 48, 211-217.