Influences of gender, amount of food, and speed of eating on external raters' perceptions of binge eating.

Traditional methods for examining binge-eating (e.g. food diaries, laboratory binges), primarily employing clinical samples, have a number of limitations. This paper details three studies utilizing a new methodology to examine perceptions of binge eating: standard videotapes of male and female models consuming doughnuts. College students (n = 459) viewed one of nine videotapes and were asked if the eating behavior of the model was a binge or not. Variables manipulated include gender of the model, number of doughnuts, rate of eating and social (vs. solitary) eating. The number of doughnuts eaten by a female model was sufficient for female subjects to label it as a binge. In order for a male to have binged, females responded to the amount; males required both speed and amount. Results are discussed in terms of their relevance for understanding perception of binge eating in normal and clinical populations.