Fast Food Psychology: Scientists Identify "Behavioral Priming" Effect

Times Online:

Scientists at Toronto University in Canada say that symbols of fast food can incite individuals to become impatient, squander money, and crave instant gratification. From theTimes of London:

Participants in experiments became jittery even when shown the logo of the McDonald's burger chain on screen for such a short instant that they could not recognise it.

Although each individual sighting of a logo has only a short-term subliminal effect, researchers fear that walking daily past numerous burger bars and sandwich shops could have a cumulative "behavioural priming" effect, making people hurry whether or not they are pushed for time.

We're finding that the mere exposure to fast food is promoting a general sense of haste and impatience regardless of the context."

For more details on the study, read the Times of London story here.

Read the whole story: Times Online

Comments

[InfinteShibumi]

12:37 PM on 04/21/2010

Maybe people get jittery and impatient because they've conditioned to the idea of "fast" food?

[OMG1]

09:48 PM on 04/20/2010

All of America's beef comes from hormone and antibiotic injected factory farms where their crippled, sick and bloated bodies are bulldozed into the slaughter house. Unless you buy farm raised organic meat, your meat all comes from the same place.

[mspink]

09:48 PM on 04/19/2010

My local Pub charges $10 for a hamburger and it is in the Logan Square Neighborhood of Philly and I know the owner.

[capitaldysfunction]

11:34 AM on 04/19/2010

If you resolutely, absolutely, positively refuse to enter a fast food joint, ever, it doesn't matter. You will be rewarded with a slimmer profile and a functioning circulatory system.

[mspink]

01:34 AM on 04/19/2010

It's funny, I only eat McDonald's on rare occasions and when i do--I remember why I don't eat it very much, i.e. diarrhea, etc. When i want a hamburger, I would rather go somewhere that makes it with real fresh ground meat like a pub.

[KIVPossum]

06:13 AM on 04/19/2010

If your pub used 'real fresh ground meat', it is a rarity. Most will use patties from a supplier like any other place. Granted, they will use a much better grade of meat and a patty that isn't thin as paper.