food psychology

Author Susan Burton struggled with disordered eating for decades. "Hunger was something that I believed protected me and gave me power," she says.

From 'Empty' To 'Satisfied': Author Traces A Hunger That Food Can't Fix

4:19pm June 23, 2020

by Terry Gross

For Susan Burton, decades of disordered eating was about power. "As long as I was bingeing, I didn't have to think. I didn't have to think about any loss or pain or wanting or yearning."

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Science

Yum and Yuck: The Psychology Of What We Eat...And What We Spit Out

5:00pm December 13, 2018

This week on the Hidden Brain radio show, we dig into the culture and psychology that determines the foods that make us salivate and the scents that make us squirm.

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Brian Wansink demonstrates his "bottomless bowl of soup" — used to show that people eat more when served in a bowl secretly replenished from the inside — after he was awarded a 2007 Ig Nobel Prize in 2007 at Harvard University. Wansink made a name for

Cornell Food Researcher's Downfall Raises Larger Questions For Science

9:02pm September 26, 2018

by Brett Dahlberg

Brian Wansink made a name for himself producing pithy, palatable studies that connected people's eating habits with cues from their environment. His data manipulation now serves as a cautionary tale.

Victorian print of a large dinner party of dogs in formalwear and cat servants; hand-colored engraving, 1893.

Science

Hungry, Hungry Hippocampus: Why and How We Eat

9:00pm June 11, 2018

Food fills many of our needs. Hunger is just one. Paul Rozin explains the profound role that food plays in our lives.

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Color really does impact our perception of taste — even if the ingredients are otherwise the same, scientists say. It's something candy companies use to their advantage.

Science

Are Gummy Bear Flavors Just Fooling Our Brains?

5:39pm January 08, 2018

by Ashlie Stevens

Color really does impact our perception of taste — even if the ingredients are otherwise the same, scientists say. It's something candy companies use to their advantage.

A vending machine with the DISC, or "Delays to Influence Snack Choice," installed. On the display window, a written decal tells customers they'll have to wait for an extra 25 seconds for unhealthy snacks.

Forcing People At Vending Machines To Wait Nudges Them To Buy Healthier Snacks

12:47pm March 31, 2017

by Angus Chen

Buy an unhealthy snack and these vending machines take away 25 seconds of your life you'll never get back. Healthy fare drops instantly. Research suggests this "time tax" helps us make better choices.

Illustration of a young boy making a face at peas that are arranged like an unhappy face on his plate.

Science

Breaking Down The Science Of Picky Eating

2:01pm May 16, 2016

by NPR Staff

What makes us dislike certain foods? And why is everyone so concerned about what you're eating, anyway? Jane Kauer, an anthropologist who has studied the topic, helps answer our questions.

Sure, seeing a cockroach on your fries would turn you off eating them. But what about seeing a photo of a cockroach flash by before you see a photo of fries?

Disgust Diet: Can You Train Your Brain To Recoil At High-Calorie Foods?

3:04pm August 07, 2015

by Angus Chen

A psychologist says there could be a simple way to make calorie-packed foods like french fries or ice cream seem unappealing, even a bit disgusting. Others are less sure.

Environmental cues — like the color, size and shape of the dinnerware, the music playing in the background and the lighting in the dining room — can alter how we experience food and drink. For example, research suggests that serving food on a red plat

Food Psychology: How To Trick Your Palate Into A Tastier Meal

1:45pm December 31, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

Ingredients and preparation matter in making a delicious dinner. But so do a lot of other external factors, from your mood to room lighting. Here, a guide to enhancing the pleasures of the plate.

Feeling blue? That may not be a great excuse to tuck into some mac and cheese.

Eating Comfort Foods May Not Be So Comforting After All

5:01pm October 08, 2014

by Maanvi Singh

It's tempting to seek out the mac and cheese or a pint of ice cream after a terrible, horrible, no good day. But fresh research suggests such comfort foods might not be mood boosters after all.