Don’t choose a mortgage when you are hungry!
‘Immediate gratification’
MOST people know what it’s like to be in a bad mood when they are hungry.
Feeling ‘hangry’ can lead to ill temper and irritability that only a snack can see off.
But now researchers have discovered that a lack of food can also have a detrimental impact on our decisionmaking in general.
A study by the University of Dundee found that hunger makes people more likely to choose instant gratification over long-term rewards, even on issues unrelated to food – such as choosing a mortgage or pension
Fifty participants were tested on two different occasions – once after eating a meal and another on an empty stomach. They were asked questions and offered hypothetical rewards in the form of food, money or other incentives – an instant reward or a bigger reward in future.
When full after a meal, they were willing to wait for 35 days for double the reward, but this plummeted to just three days when hungry.
When it came to money, hungry participants were prepared to wait for 40 days for double the amount, compared to 90 days when they had eaten.
Researchers found that hunger influences decisionmaking on matters unrelated to food, as it makes them more impulsive.
Dr Benjamin Vincent, who led the study, said: ‘We used a standardised test which offered hypothetical rewards. We asked participants if they wanted a small reward now – whether that be in the form of food or money – but also added that if you wait a certain amount of time you’ll get a greater reward. We found there was a large effect. People’s preferences shifted dramatically from the long to short term when hungry.
‘This is an aspect of human behaviour which could potentially be exploited by marketers – so people need to know their preferences may change when hungry.
‘People generally know that when they are hungry, they shouldn’t really go food shopping because they are more likely to make choices that are either unhealthy or indulgent. Our research suggests that this could have an impact on other kinds of decisions as well.’
Dr Vincent said: ‘Say you were going to speak to a pensions or mortgage adviser – doing so while hungry might make you care a bit more about immediate gratification at the expense of a potentially more rosy future.’
The research builds on the work of the ‘Marshmallow Experiment’ in the 1960s, in which the researcher left a child alone in a room and left a single marshmallow on a table.
The child was told that if they did not eat the marshmallow while the researcher was away, they would be rewarded with a second marshmallow.
However, if the marshmallow was eaten before the researcher returned, the child would not be allowed a second treat.
After tracking participants’ progress throughout their lives, researchers in the study found that those who delayed gratification did better at school, displayed lower levels of substance abuse, had lower BMI and possessed better social skills.
The research is published in the Psychonomic Bulletin & Review.