The paradoxical effect of diet commercials on reinhibition of dietary restraint.
Although many studies have explored the mechanism by which dietary restraint becomes disinhibited, few have examined how restraint is restored or "reinhibited." Using a taste test with preload design, we showed a sad movie clip interrupted by diet-related commercials, neutral commercials, or no commercials to women with high and low restraint scores. We predicted that images of successful dieting would foster reinhibition. Results, however, revealed the opposite: high restrained eaters who viewed the diet-oriented commercials ate more than other subjects. We interpret these data as suggesting that diet-related images act as additional disinhibitors and view our results in light of research linking ego threat to dietary disinhibition (Heatherton, Herman, & Polivy, 1991).
Strauss
J
J
Department of Psychology, Williams College.
Doyle
A E
AE
Kreipe
R E
RE
D000329:Advertising; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010865:Pilot Projects