Modern food environments are characterized by an abundance of highly palatable foods, enabling individuals to eat beyond their homeostatic needs. Although emotional eating is widely studied, its definition and underlying mechanisms remain debated. In this research program, we propose a series of complementary theoretical and empirical approaches to clarify the role of affective, motivational, and reward processes in emotional eating behaviors.
Modern food environments are characterized by an abundance of highly palatable foods, enabling individuals to eat beyond their homeostatic needs. Although emotional eating, i.e. the tendency to ear in response to emotions rather than homeostatic needs, is widely studied, its definition and underlying mechanisms remain debated. In this research program, we propose a series of complementary theoretical and empirical approaches to clarify the role of affective, motivational, and reward processes in emotional eating behaviors.
First, we critically examine current conceptual and methodological debates. Building on contemporary models of affective sciences, we propose that emotional eating may reflect a learned pattern of affect regulation shaped by reinforcement learning, reward expectactions, and broader sociocultural influences.
Second, we investigate the motivational mechanisms associated with emotional eating. We examine whether individuals reporting higher levels of emotional eating differ in explicit and implicit wanting for food rewards, and whether they display altered habituation to repeated exposure to food cues.
Finally, we explore whether sensory reward properties, such as individual differences in sugar preference, contribute to emotional eating independently of emotions. highlighting the role of non-affective factors in food-related behaviors.
Taken together, these complementary studies seek to provide a more nuanced understanding of the interplay between emotions, motivation, and food reward.
Associate member
- Dr. Larisa Olteanu - Postdoc
Publications in peer-reviewed journal
Papers currently being written:
- Theoretical perspectives on emotional eating: Current debates and challenges
- Understanding emotional eating through the lens of explicit and implicit wanting
- Nothing Is sweeter than chocolate: Sugar preference as a predictor of self-reported emotional eating
