Modeling of Food Choice

Even before deciding how much to eat, people usually have already chosen what they are going to eat. Food choice and food preferences are determined in part by biological factors, but social factors play an important role. Studies of modeling show that young children and young adults imitate the food choices of others. This is true when the options involve: 1) a healthful/low calorie food vs. a not-so-healthful/high calorie food; 2) a familiar food vs. a novel food; and 3) a well-liked/highly preferred food vs. a less-liked/less-preferred food. We suggest three mechanisms that might account for these phenomena. First, in keeping with the main theme of this book, modeling of food choice may be driven by people’s (and particularly women’s) desire to eat in a way that adheres to social norms about appropriate eating (i.e., not consuming more calories or choosing more fattening/less healthful foods than others) and that conveys a suitable impression. Second, effect of watching someone else select a food can, in addition to letting us know what is the appropriate or impression-enhancing thing to select, also reassure us about what is safe to eat. And, finally, observing someone else eating something (and having no negative reaction) can signal that the food tastes good. In addition to modeling, abstract social norms (notions about what people generally do or what people should do) affect food choices.