Yegiyan Narine S, Bailey Rachel L
a Department of Communication , University of California , Davis.
b Edward R. Murrow College of Communication , Washington State University.
Health Commun. 2016;31(5):635-42. doi: 10.1080/10410236.2014.987098. Epub 2015 Oct 26.
This study explores how people respond to images of junk versus healthy food as a function of their eating habits and food knowledge. The experiment reported here proposed and tested the idea that those with unhealthy eating habits but highly knowledgeable about healthy eating would feel more positive and also more negative toward junk food images compared to images of healthy food because they may perceive them as risky--desirable but potentially harmful. The psychophysiological data collected from participants during their exposure to pictures of junk versus healthy food supported this idea. In addition, unhealthy eaters compared to healthy eaters with the same degree of food knowledge responded more positively to all food items. The findings are critical from a health communication perspective. Because unhealthy eaters produce stronger emotional responses to images of junk food, they are more likely to process information associated with junk food with more cognitive effort and scrutiny. Thus, when targeting this group and using images of junk food, it is important to combine these images with strong message claims and relevant arguments; otherwise, if the arguments are perceived as irrelevant or weak, the motivational activation associated with junk food itself may transfer into an increased desire to consume the unhealthy product.
本研究探讨了人们如何根据饮食习惯和食物知识对垃圾食品与健康食品的图像做出反应。此处报告的实验提出并检验了这样一种观点：那些饮食习惯不健康但对健康饮食有丰富知识的人，与健康食品图像相比，会对垃圾食品图像产生更积极和更消极的感受，因为他们可能认为垃圾食品既诱人又有潜在危害。在参与者观看垃圾食品与健康食品图片期间收集的心理生理数据支持了这一观点。此外，与具有相同食物知识水平的健康饮食者相比，不健康饮食者对所有食品的反应更为积极。从健康传播的角度来看，这些发现至关重要。由于不健康饮食者对垃圾食品图像产生更强烈的情绪反应，他们更有可能投入更多认知努力和仔细审查与垃圾食品相关的信息。因此，当针对这一群体并使用垃圾食品图像时，将这些图像与有力的信息主张和相关论据相结合非常重要；否则，如果论据被认为不相关或薄弱，与垃圾食品本身相关的动机激活可能会转化为对不健康产品消费欲望的增加。
