Implicit and automatic processes in eating behaviour

Abstract

People’s health behavior is greatly influenced by automatic and implicit processes, rather than being deliberate and rationalized. However, there are still numerous gaps in knowledge about the exact nature of these processes in health behavior, and in eating behavior specifically. Since several health problems result from dysfunctional eating behavior, many interventions aim to change eating behavior. When attempting to change behavior, in-depth knowledge about the underlying processes leading to certain behavior is imperative. Therefore, this symposium will present an overview of studies aiming to further understanding into the automatic and implicit processes guiding eating behavior. Five speakers will present their findings. Marleen Gillebaart will present research on the automatic side of self-control and how diet and exercise are affected: habitual behavior is presented as a key ingredient. Jeroen Benjamins will focus on how sleep affects people’s eating behavior, by discussing how sleep deprivation diminishes people’s ability to make healthy choices. Betty Chang will continue by presenting research on obesity priming and how obese vs. thin exemplars affect people’s food choices. Renata Cserjesi will also present priming research, and will focus on how priming people with different size portions reveals discrepancies between implicit and explicit preferences in obese participants. Finally, Almudena Claassen will present research on how scarcity and hunger influence food choices. The final 15-minute timeslot of the symposium will consist of an audience discussion on implications and future research directions in which the panel of the symposium will provide input as well as answer questions. Aims: *Present state-of-the-art research on implicit and automatic processes in eating behavior *Integrate findings from separate research lines into an up-to-date overview of implicit and automatic processes in eating behavior *Spark audience discussion on underlying processes in eating behavior *Discuss current implications and future research questions concerning implicit processes and automaticity in eating behavior