The “social” facilitation of eating without the presence of others: Self-reflection on eating makes food taste better and people eat more

• DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2017.05.022
• Publication Date: 2017-05-19T04:18:07Z
• Authors: Ryuzaburo Nakata; Nobuyuki Kawai
• Keywords: Social facilitation; Facilitation; Wine tasting

Food tastes better and people eat more of it when eaten with company than alone. Although several explanations have been proposed for this social facilitation eating, they share the basic assumption that phenomenon is achieved by existence co-eating others. Here, we demonstrate a similar "social" eating in absence other individuals. Elderly participants tasted piece popcorn alone while front mirror (which reflects participant themselves popcorn) or wall-reflecting monitor, were found to rate tasting self-reflecting condition monitor condition. Similar results younger adults. The suggest does not necessarily require presence another individual. Furthermore, observed even ate static picture suggesting visual information "someone" food sufficient produce eating.