Manipulated time and eating behavior.

Abstract

By the use of doctored clocks, the external, food-relevant cue, time, is manipulated so that some Ss entered an experimental eating situation believing it to be later than their regular dinner time and others believing it to be before dinner time. Obese Ss ate more when they thought that they were eating after their regular dinner hour than they did when they thought that they were eating before their dinner hour. There is no such effect for normal Ss. Additional data relevant to the hypotheses are presented from a questionnaire study of the eating routine and regularity of obese and normal Ss.