title: Does self-affirmation following ego depletion moderate restrained eaters' explicit preferences for, and implicit associations with, high-calorie foods?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The difficulty for chronic dieters (i.e. restrained eaters) in regulating their food intake is a conflict between two apparently incompatible goals: eating enjoyment and weight control. The latter goal consistently relies on the deployment of cognitive resources, and very often on a significant amount of self-control. This study investigated whether self-affirmation might counteract the effect of ego depletion on restrained eaters' motivation to consume high-calorie foods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 183) were assigned to one of four conditions in a 2 × 2 (Ego depletion × Self-Affirmation) experimental design and were subsequently exposed to images of high- and low-calorie foods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants completed tasks assessing their implicit and explicit preferences for high vs. low-calorie foods, along with a measure of the perceived self-control required to resist foods.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results indicated that, following ego depletion, self-affirmation facilitated restrained eaters' perceptions of self-control and led to lower explicit preferences for high-calorie foods. This pattern was not apparent for implicit preferences.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Self-affirmation interventions may be capable of restoring self-control resources among restrained eaters. Pointers for future research and practical applications are discussed.
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology , University of Sussex , Brighton , Falmer , UK.
authors.forename: Scarlett Marie
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Storr
authors.affiliation: a School of Psychology , University of Sussex , Brighton , Falmer , UK.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sparks
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004435:Eating / Q000523:psychology*; D004532:Ego; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D012649:Self Concept; D000068356:Self-Control / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attitudes; control; ego depletion; high-calorie foods; restrained eaters; self-affirmation