Research article summary (published 30 Aug 2009):

Competition affects food choice in women.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine women's food choices after exposure to a threatening upward social comparison in an achievement situation. METHOD: Female university students performed three tasks in the presence of a confederate; for some, the situation was competitive and they were made to feel the confederate was likely to outperform them, whereas the remainder performed under noncompetitive circumstances. After completing the tasks, all participants chose a food to eat in a supposedly unrelated taste test. RESULTS: It was expected and found that participants in the high threat condition, in comparison with those in a low threat condition, would be highly motivated to restore their sense of self-worth by successfully competing in an area unrelated to the original inferiority and would, therefore, choose a lower calorie/more nutritious food. A secondary analysis revealed that it was primarily dieters whose food choices were affected by the threat. DISCUSSION: For dieters, competition by means of food choice can provide a means of restoring self-regard when self-esteem has been threatened in some other domain.

Author information

Author/s: Pliner, Patricia (P); Rizvi, Sana (S); Remick, Abigail K (AK);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, 3359 Mississauga Rd., Mississauga, Ontario L5L 1C6, Canada. patricia.pliner(-atsign-)utoronto.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The International journal of eating disorders (Int J Eat Disord), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 42 (issue 6) : pp 557-64

Dates: Created 2009/08/24; Completed 2009/11/02;

PMID: 19172597, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/2/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Achievement Adolescent Affect Awareness Competitive Behavior Diet, Reducing - psychology Energy Intake Female Food Preferences - psychology Gender Identity

Gender Identity Hierarchy, Social Humans Motivation Nutritive Value Questionnaires Self Concept Social Environment Social Perception Young Adult

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