Desire escalation - an interactive model of desire emergence

Abstract

Self-control research has predominantly focused on the restraint part of self-control and has only recently started investigating the core motivational forces that need to be controlled. Specifically, the question of how desire emerges has not been systematically tackled yet. We strived to carve out the underlying mechanisms that interplay together in triggering desire towards various stimuli. Across two studies we specifically investigated the interplay between stimulus properties, learning history and need states (measured by hunger) in triggering desire for fast foods (Study 1, N = 138) or candies (Study 2, N = 102). We hypothesized that desire is strongest for hungry participants who had mainly positive experiences with the given stimulus and who were confronted with fast foods (Study 1) or with sweets (Study 2). We manipulated stimulus properties by randomly asking participants to rate either tempting stimuli (experimental condition) or flowers (control condition). Then they completed a mood measure to assess and control for any mood effects and finally a measure to assess experienced desire to the given stimulus (FCQ-S, Cepeda-Benito et al., 2000). In line with our dynamical model of desire, we found a three-way interaction effect in such, that desire was strongest when all three factors came into play. Follow-up analyses showed that absence of either factor resulted in lower desire strength. Hence desire is a function of internal and external factors that closely interact with each other. Implications for self-control research and how to change individuals’ learning history to reduce cravings are discussed.