Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria; Center for Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.
Appetite. 2019 Jun 1;137:145-151. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2019.03.002. Epub 2019 Mar 6.
Automatic approach tendencies are often assessed with joystick-based approach-avoidance tasks (AATs). In line with similar studies, we have previously shown that individuals show an approach bias towards palatable food only when picture valence (i.e., the content of the picture) is relevant for task performance. In the current study, we adapted this joystick-based AAT for implementation on a touchscreen, which required participants to perform more naturalistic approach-avoidance movements. One-hundred and seven participants (73% female) were instructed to pull or push pictures of chocolate-containing food and non-edible objects either based on picture content (content group, n = 36), frame color (frame group, n = 35), or a symbol superimposed in the center of each picture (symbol group, n = 36). No approach bias towards food was detected in either group. However, trait chocolate craving and a general preference for chocolate related to higher approach bias scores only in the content group, but not in the frame or symbol group. In addition, only participants in the content group reported increases of current chocolate craving throughout the task. While this touchscreen-based AAT did not replicate results from its joystick-based equivalent, results are in line with suggestions that explicit task instructions may be preferred over implicit task instructions (i.e., when participants have to respond to valence-irrelevant features). Future studies may examine if and how touchscreen-based AATs can be implemented for modifying approach tendencies towards unhealthy food and, ultimately, reducing consumption of these foods.
自动接近倾向通常通过基于操纵杆的趋近回避任务（AAT）进行评估。与类似的研究一致，我们之前已经表明，只有当图片效价（即图片的内容）与任务表现相关时，个体才会对美味食物表现出趋近偏向。在当前的研究中，我们将这种基于操纵杆的 AAT 改编为在触摸屏上实现，这需要参与者进行更自然的趋近回避运动。107 名参与者（73%为女性）被指示根据图片内容（内容组，n=36）、图片边框颜色（边框组，n=35）或每个图片中心叠加的符号（符号组，n=36）来拉动或推动含有巧克力的食物和不可食用物品的图片。在任何一组中都没有检测到对食物的趋近偏向。然而，特质巧克力渴求以及对巧克力的一般偏好与更高的趋近偏向得分相关，仅在内容组中，而不在边框或符号组中。此外，只有内容组的参与者报告在整个任务过程中当前巧克力渴求的增加。虽然这种基于触摸屏的 AAT 没有复制其基于操纵杆的等效物的结果，但结果与以下建议一致，即明确的任务指令可能比隐含的任务指令（即当参与者必须对与效价无关的特征做出反应时）更受欢迎。未来的研究可能会探讨基于触摸屏的 AAT 是否以及如何能够用于改变对不健康食物的趋近倾向，并最终减少这些食物的消费。
