Abstract
This study examined the effects of subjective differences in cognitive demand on eating control mechanisms. As a task with high cognitive demand, 53 female students were asked to have their photographs taken. Forty-five students who accepted the request were classified into four categories, 2 (high cognitive demand, low cognitive demand) × 2 (dieter, non-dieter). The results indicated that the “high demand-dieter” group significantly decreased eating restraint under pressure, whereas the “high demand-non-dieter” group actively restrained eating through self-regulation of food intake. Moreover, there were differences in the high and low demand diet groups in terms of motivation, strategy, and the condition after the diet.
