William Atkins
Monday, 25 August 2008 01:59
Science -
Health
Page 1 of 3
Spanish and Dutch researchers found that instead of reducing the amount of calories consumed by people, treats in small-sized packages ("diet" and “fun” packs) actually increase the amount of high-calorie foods eaten. However, was the study valid?
Rita Coelho do Vale (assistant professor of marketing at Instituto Superior de Economica e Gestao (ISEG Economics and Business School), Technical University of Lisbon, Spain), Rik Pieters (professor of marketing, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands), and Marcel Zeelenberg (professor of psychology, Tilburg University, Tilburg, Netherlands) were the researchers involved in the study.
The summary of their research was published electronically on June 19, 2008, in the
Journal of Consumer Research. Its title is “
Flying under the Radar: Perverse Package Size Effects on Consumption Self-Regulation.”
They introduced the topic of the paper within its abstract by saying, “
Consumers believe that small package formats of hedonic, but not of utilitarian, products help to regulate consumption—especially when their self-regulatory concerns are activated. These beliefs may backfire and increase consumption of hedonic products.”
The researchers had subjects in one group complete three surveys: “body satisfaction,” “drive for thinness,” and "concern for dieting.” The subjects were weighed in front of a mirror so they were fully awareness of their weight.
Then, this group and a control group (who did not complete the surveys and were not weighed in front of a mirror) watched commercials on television. The researchers told both groups that the purpose of the study was to evaluate the advertisements.
However, the researchers, in actuality, were monitoring their consumption of potato chips. The researchers provided the potato chips in large and small packages.
The conclusions of the study are found on page two.
