Mere Recollection of Food Reduces Altruistic Behavior

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of the study was twofold: Experiment 1 tested the possibility that the mere recollection of food aroused a state of hunger and that different types of food influenced the state of hunger differently; Experiment 2 tested the possibility that food cues affected altruistic behavior. In Experiment 1, 28 participants reported how hungry they felt before and after their recollection of certain foods (noodles and pudding). Results suggest that recollection of food increased hunger and that the type of food influenced the degree of hunger (F(2,54) = 31.88, p < .001, η2 = .54). In Experiment 2, 63 participants were randomly assigned to one of three recollection conditions: (1) noodles, (2) pudding, and (3) control. Participants in the two conditions described each food in detail; control group participants did not. Participants were then asked how much they would be willing to participate in an ostensible experiment. Results indicate that recollection-induced hunger reduced altruistic behavior (F(2, 60) = 4.11, p = .021, η2 = .12). Cue reactivity theory and the hierarchy of needs could explain these results.