Purpose

Snacking typically occurs as an automatic, consciously uncontrolled process which can lead to unintended health consequences. Grounded cognition informs about the multifaceted drivers of such automatic consumption processes. By integrating situation-, stimulus-, and person-specific factors, this study provides a holistic account of snacking.

Design/methodology/approach

A combined psychophysiological and behavioral experiment is conducted wherein participants can casually snack chocolate while participating in a survey setting. Implicit cognitions are assessed with the Implicit Association Test. The percentage of consumed chocolate serves as dependent variable in a Tobit regression with predictors at situation, stimulus and person level.

Findings

Chocolate snacking is positively influenced by personal craving tendencies, implicit food associations and situational contingency. We condense the results into an overarching framework in line with grounded cognition literature.

Practical implications

The multidimensional framework can guide consumer protection efforts to reduce excessive snacking habits based on situation, stimulus and person.

Originality/value

This study integrates theory from social cognition, consumer research, and behavioral food research and, thereby, extends the existing body of knowledge on grounded cognitions underlying snacking consumption.

中文翻译：

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休闲零食作为一种自动过程：扎根的认知框架

目的

零食通常是自动的，有意识的，不受控制的过程，可能导致意外的健康后果。扎根的认知告知了这种自动消费过程的多方面驱动因素。通过整合情况，刺激因素和特定于人的因素，本研究提供了零食的整体说明。

设计/方法/方法

进行了一项心理生理和行为综合实验，参与者可以在参加调查的同时随意品尝巧克力。内隐认知是通过内隐联想测验来评估的。食用巧克力的百分比在Tobit回归中用作因变量，其中包括情况，刺激和人的水平的预测因子。

发现

巧克力零食受到个人渴求趋势，隐性食物关联和情况偶发事件的积极影响。我们将结果压缩为与扎根的认知文学一致的总体框架。

实际影响

多维框架可以指导消费者保护工作，以根据情况，刺激因素和个人减少过多的零食习惯。

创意/价值

这项研究整合了来自社会认知，消费者研究和行为食品研究的理论，从而扩展了零食消费基础知识的现有知识体系。