The consumption of a meal in a social context as with, Esma at the birthday dinner, is shaped by a number of factors including the physical location and presentation of the meal (Stroebele & De Castro, 2004) and the perceived intake norm of the group . Amongst the most significant influences on her consumption levels are the impact of social facilitation in increasing food intake and the desire for “social ingratiation” (Robinson, Tobias, Shaw, Freeman, & Higgs, 2011). In light of these factors this essay will highlight the influence of a high intake norm and the effect of modelling for social acceptance on Esma’s intake, in a social eating context with the majority of her companions being unfamiliar to her.
In exploring the role of the social context on Esma’s consumption it is also essential to understand the significance of environmental factors in influencing Esma’s appetite and choices. In addition to the influence of the “ambience”, including features such as lighting, temperature, sounds, of restaurants in promoting food intake (Stroebele & De Castro, 2004); it is also necessary to consider the role of the varied banquet meal in creating a high intake norm and slowing down satiation. Hetherington, Rolls, and Burley (1989) found that sensory-specific satiety following the consumption of four varied dishes in a meal resulted in an elevated energy intake in comparison to the consumption of a uniform meal. Normally the process of sensory-specific satiety would limit the intake of foods as the palatability of a consumed food decreases over the course of a meal. However the introduction of varied courses, food intake increases as it takes longer to become full. Furthermore, distractions such as those provided by conversatio...
... middle of paper ...
...social norms. This notion is supported by the findings of Robinson et al. (2011) where those low in empathy were less likely to match the chocolate m&m intake of the confederate. Thus while social matching may not influence Esma’s intake, it is important to consider Esma’s low empathy in light of other social and contextual factors. (Robinson, Benwell, & Higgs, 2013) found that while empathy did not moderate adherence to a perceived social norm in a remote confederate paradigm, the creation of both a high and low intake norm had a significant impact on cookie intake with participants’ intake reflecting the social norm. Esma’s intake would still be more than she would eat alone in a similar situation as a result of the high intake norm created by the context of the dinner however she is less likely to eat more than she would be inclined to in the specific context.
Portion control is psychologically proven to lessen or limit an individual’s intake of any food. According to Dr. Katherine Appleton (2014), any given amount of food over the recommended serving size will be finished by an individual because it is considered normal to finish a plate for a meal. If the amount of food were to be changed, the amount of intake would change as well. This psychology study is based off of an individual’s perception on what is considered “a normal serving size” (Appleton, 2014). Portion control requires self discipline, but if Pam were to regulate her serving sizes, she could greatly decrease her caloric
Rhinehart seems almost obsessed with the idea of utility, and finding ways to optimize the way he lives. Alternating between two pairs of jeans and freezing his clothes to clean them, he has a very frank and scientific view on life- regarding it as a “walking chemical reaction”. It’s understandable, therefore, that he would be compelled to create a product like Soylent, cheap, fast, but bland. If Soylent does become the mainstream way of eating one day, one can’t help but wonder about how striving to maximize utility will effect the customs of mealtimes. To many cultures, meals are also a vital time to socialize with friends and family, talk about their day and gain some human interaction. But if the goal is utility, these customs may be rendered
“Generally, eating with another is a way of saying, ‘I’m with you, I like you, we form a community together.’ And that is a form of communion” (Foster 8).
Obesity is growing rapidly, therefore we must take action while we can. Portion sizes are becoming more and more immense. A Facts on File Article titled “Diet, Nutrition, and Wellness” discussed the growing problems caused by obesity. From going to McDonalds and getting a happy meal to going to subway and getting a footlong sub. Either way, it is changing our diets to eat more than we need which eventually, adds on a couple pounds (Diet). People who go to restaurants on a daily basis end up eating about one thousand calories a meal more than someone at some would (Diet). When most people go out to eat, even at a fancier restaurant, they are not worrying about how many calories their meal is, they are ordering whatever sounds good to them (Diet). Every now and then, that is okay bu...
... J. Galanko, J. & Siega-Riz, A (2008). Eating at fast-food restaurants is associated with
Pollan states that food is not just a necessity to survive, it has a greater meaning to life. Pollan explains how food can cause us happiness and health by connecting us to our family and culture. Warren Belasco, in “Why Study Food”, supports Pollan’s idea that food is something social and cultural. In Belasco’s description of a positive social encounter food is included, whether it involves a coffee date with a colleague or a dinner date with a loved one. Belasco states that food forms our identity and brings our society together.
underlying empathy” authors Jean Decety, Greg J. Norman, Gary G. Berntson, John T. Cacioppo explore this phenomenon.
In relation to the modern world of food, in terms of ways in which people or families have grown accustomed to this in turn affects the ways in which students and teenagers eat. In Jonathan Safran Foer’s article, “The American Table and The Global Table,” he expresses that people consume so mindlessly and ignorantly that as a nation, we are giving the government opportunities to manipulate the ways in which food is perceived. Foer argues that “today, to eat like everyone else is to add another straw to the camel’s back” (Foer 971). This is significant in that it highlights the role that consumers play in the food industry. Put bluntly, the more mindless demands that are made, the worse the situation becomes. Students and adolescents, ambitious and goal-driven, often claim that it is important to stop such unawareness, but the irony lies in the fact that we might be just as unaware. The more we demand, the more the government complies and essentially, people are “sending checks to the absolute worst abusers” (Foer 968). As administrators in the cafeteria, where finances are limited, and time is constrained on a daily basis, I believe it is so important that your team continues to implement quick, but sustainable food choices. In a sense, it is purely the matter of the ways of how easily students can be conditioned into choosing the right foods and by continuing to maintain these healthy options students will be able to avoid the growing epidemic, obesity. Michael Pollan claims that “daily, our eating turns nature into culture, transforming the body of the world into our bodies and minds,” and what can be drawn from this is that people are affected by habits and if students are habitually surrounded by these healthier food choices, the result will be most significant and beneficial in the end (Pollan 10). While I am not saying that by implementing a
A common saying goes, “we are what we eat;” but what exactly that makes us eat in the first place? What are the factors that influence our eating behaviors? If the food that we eat defines our personality and being as a whole, it should then be vital to identify the factors that push us to eat certain kinds of food. I think that social psychology has the answer. As broad as this field may seem, yet this science of explaining human behavior takes it reference on the influence of the environment, people, the media, and almost about anything that can contribute to how people think, feel, and act. In this paper, we will explore the factors that influence our eating
Commensality can be defined as the notion of eating with others. It is the act of two or more people consuming a meal together (Pearsall J 1999). The purpose of commensality is much more than that of allowing survival. It pushes beyond this and becomes a practice of socialisation. Anthropologist Martin Sahlins suggested that not only does it provide opportunities for people to integrate socially, but that it can be the starting factor and maintaining factor in which enables relationships to form and develop. For example, he found that at the beginning of relationship formation commensality tends to involve the sharing of drinks and snacks. As relationships develop the meals become more complex. He claimed that the traditional cooked dinner of meats and vegetables is one mainly shared among families and rarely with friends (Lupton 1996). This suggests that commensality is often used as an expression of closeness and the extent of such closeness can be discovered by looking at ...
Buswell, T. 2013. Restaurant Colors: Triggering Appetite With the Use of Colors. SendMeTheManager, [blog] 21st Jan, Available at: http://www.sendmethemanager.com/blog/bid/199532/Restaurant-Colors-Triggering-Appetite-With-the-Use-of-Colors [Accessed: 15 Dec 2013].
Obesity is a big social issue in America. Due to the popularity of fast food and other unhealthy foods, more and more Americans are developing health diseases and disorders. We should be getting the correct daily nutrition amount, but because of our fast paced lifestyles we sometimes do not have enough time. Fast food restaurants make it possible to grab a meal and go. We often do not pay attention to the nutrition amount, but are simply looking for a quick bite to eat that will fulfill our hunger. Fast food is assisting in the increase of obesity in America (“Phrase” par.2).
Food has become an obsession for most obese people. It has taken control over their lives. Today people have greater access to food, as compared to the 1930's Great Depression, where people were suffering in starvation. Fast food corporations seem to be at greater fault for a lot of people's obesity, and this is especially stated in the movie Super Size Me. Some instances in the restaurant where I serve people, I have orders from a single person that consists of a three course meal, plus deserts. It only seems like they haven't eaten in over a month, like they were just held captive in a basement without any food, but it was only three days ago that I had served this same person. To illustrate, whenever I am on break, I sometimes observe these people discreetly, and watch th...
Japan is presented to the public, specially the American public, as a nation that benefits greatly from all the right dietary habits. In Japan over 95% of the population eats at least three meals a day, in which they consider dinner to be the most important. The Japanese population has dinner at home with their families and loved ones, regardless over 60% of them eat home-replacement mea...
It is far more flattering and interesting to say the best place to eat is at five star expensive restaurants with a stunning view, but is that actually the best place to physically consume food? Is this attractive place actually making one enjoy their food more? Is it not logical to think a great place to eat is a place where most people actually eat daily? In the comfort of one’s home, more specifically in the comfort of one’s on bed has shown to be a place where people feel comfortable eating. Despite society labeling it as laziness, the action of being able eat lying down in bed with entertainment is appealing to individuals wanting relaxation because of the comfortable physical sedentary position compared to eating while standing, and