title: Working harder to obtain more snack foods when wanting to eat less.
abstract: This study investigates individual differences in the reinforcing value of snack food. More specifically, it was investigated whether differences in restraint status are associated with differences in working for high-caloric snack food. Thirty-six unrestrained non-dieters, twenty restrained non-dieters and fifteen current dieters performed a concurrent schedules task in which they had the option to work for points for either snack food or fruit and vegetables. By progressively increasing the "price" of the snack foods (i.e., the amount of work required to obtain extra snack points) the relative reinforcing value of snack food was determined. As hypothesized, restrained non-dieters worked harder and current dieters worked less hard to obtain snack food as compared to unrestrained non-dieters.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychological Science, Faculty of Psychology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands. janneke.giesen@psychology.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Janneke C A H
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Giesen
authors.forename: Remco C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Havermans
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nederkoorn
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strafaci
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000523:psychology*; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D014937:Work; D055815:Young Adult