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Level of TV distraction influences amount eaten (626.20)
Author(s) -
Tal Aner,
Wansink Brian,
Zuckerman Scott
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.28.1_supplement.626.20
Subject(s) - psychology , distraction , consumption (sociology) , food consumption , advertising , social psychology , art , cognitive psychology , business , agricultural economics , economics , aesthetics
The current study aims to explore whether degree of involvement in TV shows affects food consumption. We demonstrate that not just the fact of watching TV, but also the level of involvement of the TV program being watched, determine the amount consumed. The more distracted a person is, the more mindless eating they would display, resulting in greater food consumption for more involving TV shows. In our study, undergraduate participants (N = 95) ate cookies, M&Ms, grapes and carrots while watching TV. A third of the participants watched the action movie The Island (high involvement), a third watched the same movie without sound (middle involvement), and a third watched an episode of The Charlie Rose Show (low involvement). Participants viewing Charlie Rose ate the lowest amount, 104.29 grams on average, those viewing The Island ate almost twice as much at 206.53, with those watching The Island on silent eating a medium amount (142.09 grams). The effects were significant at a <.0001 level: F(2, 92) = 12.07. The greater distraction allowed by a more involving show appears to lead to increased food consumption due to mindless eating.