Don't mind if I do: disinhibited eating under cognitive load
Abstract
Past research has shown that strong emotional or motivational states can cause normally restrained eaters to overeat. In this article it is argued that simple cognitive load can also disinhibit eating by restrained eaters. Two studies examined this disinhibition effect. In Study 1, restrained and unrestrained eaters were given the opportunity to consume high-calorie food while performing either a high cognitive-load or low cognitive-load task. Restrained eaters consumed more food when under high cognitive load than when under low cognitive load; unrestrained eaters showed the opposite pattern. Study 2 replicated the disinhibition effect and ruled out stress, diminished awareness of food consumption, and ironic rebound as probable mediators. Results suggest that cognitive load may disinhibit consumption by preventing restrained eaters from monitoring the dietary consequences of their eating behavior. Implications for theories of self-regulation are discussed.
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More cognitive work by a dieting individual is associated with more disinhibition of eating, suggesting cognitively intensive strategies may reduce self-regulation.
“Moreover, empirical work suggests that the more cognitive “work” (e.g., solving puzzles) in which a dieting individual engages, the more disinhibition of eating occurs, raising the possibility that cognitively-intensive strategies may reduce self-regulation rather than enhance it.8”
From The mind your health project: a randomized controlled trial of an innovative behavioral treatment for obesity (2013) · cites this paper as [8]
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References 72 · Cited by 463
- Authors
- Ward, A., & Mann, T.
- Affiliations
- Swarthmore College (US)
- University of California, Los Angeles (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology
- Published
- 2000
- Volume
- 78
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 753-763
- ISSN
- 0022-3514 (ISSN-L)
- 1939-1315
- OpenAlex
- W2073487301
- Cited by
- 463
- References
- 72
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 16 · 2023: 14 · 2022: 20 · 2021: 15 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 29 · 2015: 26 · 2014: 32 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 25
- FWCI
- 3.12
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Works - Scholarship, Research, & Creative Expression (Swarthmore College) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Behavioral Health and Interventions
- Keywords
- disinhibited eating, cognitive load, dietary restraint, unrestrained eating, overeating, self-regulation, dietary habits, stress, dietary monitoring, high-calorie foods
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Psychological, Adult, Attention, Cognition, Feeding Behavior, Female, Humans, Inhibition, Psychological, Models, Psychological, Reaction Time, Stress, Psychological, Self Efficacy
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