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Examining the relation between mind wandering and unhealthy eating behaviours

Publication ,  Journal Article
Smith, AC; Brosowsky, NP; Caron, EE; Seli, P; Smilek, D
Published in: Personality and Individual Differences
January 1, 2023

In the present study, we explored how individual differences in the tendency to mind-wander are related to unhealthy eating behaviours (i.e., eating habits and eating-disorder symptoms). Given that eating-disorders are associated with inhibition (extreme control) and impulsivity (a lack of control), we were interested in how unhealthy eating behaviours might relate to both spontaneous mind-wandering, which is often construed as a failure of executive control, and deliberate mind-wandering, which is thought to occur via controlled processes. To ensure that any observed relations were not driven by self-control, we also measured and statistically controlled for this variable. In a large, non-clinical sample (N = 2328), regression analyses predicting each of the eating measures with self-control, spontaneous mind-wandering, and deliberate mind-wandering revealed that self-control and spontaneous mind-wandering were significantly positively predictive of unhealthy eating behaviours, whereas deliberate mind-wandering did not significantly predict these measures. These findings suggest that spontaneous, but not deliberate, mind-wandering has a robust unique relation with unhealthy eating behaviours, even when controlling for self-control.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Personality and Individual Differences

DOI

ISSN

0191-8869

Publication Date

January 1, 2023

Volume

200

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology
 

Citation

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Smith, A. C., Brosowsky, N. P., Caron, E. E., Seli, P., & Smilek, D. (2023). Examining the relation between mind wandering and unhealthy eating behaviours. Personality and Individual Differences, 200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111908
Journal cover image

Published In

Personality and Individual Differences

DOI

ISSN

0191-8869

Publication Date

January 1, 2023

Volume

200

Related Subject Headings

  • Social Psychology
  • 5205 Social and personality psychology
  • 5202 Biological psychology
  • 1702 Cognitive Sciences
  • 1701 Psychology