Obesity and perceptual reactance.

Similarities in anomalous perception of internal gastric states and sensitivity to distraction among the obese to variations in perceptual reactance suggest that the obese tend to augment the intensity of visceral cues associated with hunger. It was hypothesized that the obese would be overrepresented at the augmenter end of the perceptual reactance continuum. Thirteen obese (six male, seven female) and 14 nonobese (eight male, six female) college students participated in a study in which perceptual reactance was assessed by degree of Kinesthetic Figural Aftereffect (KFA). A highly significant relationship in the predicted direction was observed for perceptual reactance category and mean percent weight deviation. Additionally, there was a highly significant interaction of sex by category, with the hypothesized relationship intensified for the female Ss. Results supported interpretation of obesity as a consequence of animalous perception of cues associated with consuming behavior.