Research Design Connection: Seeing => Snacking

by Sally Augustin, Ph.D. | October 23rd, 2017

  A research team lead by Elliston confirms that when we see others eating/snacking, we are more likely to eat/snack ourselves. Since many members of society are trying to get/stay slim, the findings from Elliston’s group complicates the development of spaces such as open plan homes and at-work break/dining areas. Casual interactions can lead to social bonds among employees, for example, and centrally located break areas that are visually accessible to large groups of people are common. That visibility may undermine employee health and wellbeing since people are more likely to eat/snack when they see others doing so. Visually separating “eaters” from coffee drinkers and other “non-eaters” would help concerned individuals maintain a healthy diet, but could prove socially awkward. Given the limited number of square feet likely available for break/eating areas, these sorts of segmented spaces might also be difficult to design. The Elliston team also reports that, “Having …