Examining the relation between mind wandering and unhealthy eating behaviours
In the present study, we explored how individual differences in the tendency to mind-wander are related to unhealthy eating behaviours (i.e., eating habits and eating-disorder symptoms). Given that eating-disorders are associated with inhibition (extreme control) and impulsivity (a lack of control),...
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Published in | Personality and individual differences Vol. 200; p. 111908 |
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Main Authors | , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
Elsevier Ltd
01.01.2023
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Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | In the present study, we explored how individual differences in the tendency to mind-wander are related to unhealthy eating behaviours (i.e., eating habits and eating-disorder symptoms). Given that eating-disorders are associated with inhibition (extreme control) and impulsivity (a lack of control), we were interested in how unhealthy eating behaviours might relate to both spontaneous mind-wandering, which is often construed as a failure of executive control, and deliberate mind-wandering, which is thought to occur via controlled processes. To ensure that any observed relations were not driven by self-control, we also measured and statistically controlled for this variable. In a large, non-clinical sample (N = 2328), regression analyses predicting each of the eating measures with self-control, spontaneous mind-wandering, and deliberate mind-wandering revealed that self-control and spontaneous mind-wandering were significantly positively predictive of unhealthy eating behaviours, whereas deliberate mind-wandering did not significantly predict these measures. These findings suggest that spontaneous, but not deliberate, mind-wandering has a robust unique relation with unhealthy eating behaviours, even when controlling for self-control. |
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ISSN: | 0191-8869 1873-3549 |
DOI: | 10.1016/j.paid.2022.111908 |