PSYA3 Eating behaviour presentation (psychology) Food preferences AQA Psychology A Nelson Thornes

1. Eating Behaviour
(p164-165)
Food Preferences
By Sufia Irshad

2. Introduction
The biology of eating behaviour is very complex.
It has evolved to certify the intake of the right
nutrients in order for our bodies to operate
effectively. Energy regulation is vital as the
billions of cells in our bodies require energy to
function.
Stomach
cell
Food with
high protein
Fruit high
in vitamin C

3. Energy
The energy required for the
cells to remain active and
function is in the form of
calories from fat and
carbohydrates (such as
glucose).
When we take in more calories
than we need, the excess is
either converted into fat stores
or converted into heat-
thermogenesis.

4. Homeostasis
The main aim of eating is to maintain the body’s
physiological systems. Homeostasis is the process
by which the body attempts to maintain a state of
stable physiological balance. i.e. all the body
systems try to maintain a constant level of
functioning, and an adequate diet is crucial to
this. But homeostatic functioning can act as a
barrier to weight loss.

5. Balanced diet
In many affluent societies, especially in the West,
food choice is very wide. Carbohydrates, fats and
proteins come in a bewildering number of food
types. Good diet consists of:
 Fruit and vegetables
 Moderate amounts of meat and
fish
 Bread or cereals (called complex
carbohydrates)
 Moderate amounts of milk and
other dairy products
 Small amounts of fatty foods
and sugar (a simple carbohydrate)

6. Cultural bias
Study of eating behaviour
tends to be considered
culturally biased. It largely
regards Western and other
industrialised societies and
ignores third world
countries where the main
aims are to avoid starvation
(less availability of food)
rather than cope with
obesity.

7. Development of food
preferences
Babies are born with taste
receptors for sweet, sour,
salt, bitter and umami taste
qualities.
Babies are found to like
sweet foods. This suggests
that we are born with innate
(or genetic) food
preferences.

8. Food Neophobia
Food neophobia (fear of unfamiliar
foods) can be considered as a survival
mechanism because new foods may be
poisonous. It can stop us from eating
food that may be unsafe.

9. Birch and Marlin (1982)
Birch and Marlin found that exposure of
two-year-olds to a new food over six
weeks increased preference for that food.
A minimum of 8-10 exposures was
necessary for the initial dislike to change
to a preference. The children have learnt
that the food is safe.

10. Conclusion
Birch (1999) proposes that we are born with innate (genetic)
food preferences, but with an innate ability to associate food
tastes and smells with the consequences of eating that food.
In this way we learn from experience that foods ar good for us
and the foods that are not.
Evaluation
Birch’s proposal that we inherit an
ability to associate food tastes and
smells with the consequences of eating
that food us an excellent example of an
approach that is neither nature or
nurture but an interaction between the
two.
We learn (nurture/experience) what is
good for us, but that learning depends
on brain circuits that are innate
(nature)