Abstract
BackgroundSelf-regulatory behaviour refers to both controlled and automatic processes. When people are distracted, automatic over controlled processes prevail. This was analysed with regard to nutritional behaviour (food choices, beverage intake) in situations of low or high distraction.MethodsA self-concept Implicit Association Test (IAT) was adapted to assess the implicit associations of self (vs. other) with healthy (vs. unhealthy) food. Explicit preferences for healthy and unhealthy food and the diet’s healthiness were measured by self-report. Both implicit and explicit measures were used as predictors of nutritional behaviour. Among 90 undergraduates, the choice of fruit versus snack in a food choice task (low distraction) and the amount of mineral water and soft drinks consumed in a taste comparison task to cover liquid intake (high distraction) were observed.ResultsIn the low distraction situation, food choice was predicted solely by explicit measures. Fruits were chosen less, when unhealthy foods were explicitly liked. In the high distraction situation, mineral water intake was predicted solely by the IAT. Participants implicitly associating themselves with healthy foods drank more mineral water than those implicitly associating themselves with unhealthy foods.ConclusionsNutritional behaviour is influenced by both automatic and controlled processes depending on the available capacity for self-regulation.
Highlights
Self-regulatory behaviour refers to both controlled and automatic processes
Whereas explicit attitudes and intentions as determinants of controlled processes can be assessed by direct measures such as selfreports, implicit attitudes and self-concepts as determinants of automatic processes can be assessed indirectly by Eschenbeck et al BMC Psychology (2016) 4:4 measures of association strength
Initial analyses Self-report measures Preferences for healthy food and unhealthy food with food items taken from the Nutrition Implicit Association Test (IAT) were analysed by a MANOVA with category as the within-subject factor and gender and age as control factors
Summary
Self-regulatory behaviour refers to both controlled and automatic processes. When people are distracted, automatic over controlled processes prevail. Controlled, and implicit, or automatic processes are seen as basic determinants of human behaviour (e.g., [1, 2]). These dual behavioural processes play a central role in health behaviours, such as eating (e.g., [3]; for a review, see [4]). One explanation for why some people act more controlled than others refers to self-regulation, Whereas explicit attitudes and intentions (e.g., a preference for a healthy diet) as determinants of controlled processes can be assessed by direct measures such as selfreports, implicit attitudes and self-concepts as determinants of automatic processes can be assessed indirectly by Eschenbeck et al BMC Psychology (2016) 4:4 measures of association strength. It has been used to assess implicit attitudes, stereotypes or self-concepts [12,13,14] related to a variety of domains (e.g., consumer preferences, alcohol and drug use; see [15])
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