title: Can evaluative conditioning decrease soft drink consumption?
abstract: The present study examined the effect of a picture-picture evaluative conditioning (EC) procedure on soft drink (soda) outcomes, including negative implicit attitudes, consumption during a taste test, and real-world consumption reported during the week after the intervention. In the EC condition (n = 43), soda images were paired with disgust images and water images were paired with pleasant images, whereas in the control condition (n = 41), the same images were viewed without pairing. The EC condition showed a larger reduction in real-world soda consumption across the week following the intervention. However, individuals in the EC condition did not consume less soda during a taste test immediately following the intervention. EC only significantly increased negative implicit attitudes towards soda among individuals who already had relatively higher baseline negative attitudes. These findings generally favored the potential for EC to impact soda drinking habits, but suggest that a brief EC intervention may not be strong enough to change attitudes towards a well-known brand unless negative attitudes are already present.
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States. Electronic address: jenashaw@mail.med.upenn.edu.
authors.forename: Jena A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Evan M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Forman
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Hallie M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Espel
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Meghan L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Butryn
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Herbert
authors.affiliation: Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut St., Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lowe
authors.affiliation: Maastricht University, Minderbroedersberg 4-6, 6211 LK, Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Chantal
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nederkoorn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017195:Adolescent Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000328:Adult; D002253:Carbonated Beverages / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003213:Conditioning, Psychological; D000072001:Diet, Healthy; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005518:Food Preferences; D006184:Habits; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015143:Philadelphia; D057566:Self Report; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Eating behavior; Evaluative conditioning; Implicit attitudes; Obesity; Soft drinks