Thread: How hunger influences decision making and risk perception

The basis of this research is that hunger affects the decisions we make and alters our perceptions of what is acceptably risky and what isn't. (Seems intuitive to think you would take more risks to get food if you were in danger of starving to death). But of course in this society the risks we take and the decisions we make don't really centre around food any more - so this has implications for all areas of life. Should we insist that judges are properly fed before making a decision or the police/nurses/lawyers/stockbrokers etc..

I know in my work place there is a culture of "lunch is for wimps" although I don't go along with that at all. I have my lunch on time every day, away from my desk and I take time to eat it properly and I think my company gets a better employee as a result of it. But I don't make life changing decisions about other people's lives and neither do my colleagues - what about the people that do though....

Sleep and hunger can both affect decision making. I agree with the idea, though, that someone who has been well fed prior to making a decision is either more likely to be less cranky or less likely to be more cranky.
Or maybe it's less likely to be cranky. Something like that.

(Maybe I should chow down before posting.)

While the body is diverting it's energy to digesting a full meal, people are likely to be less active and less agressive.
Beware the business lunch wherein the guy hosting the lunch is only nibbling.

OK. I can't think where I read it - might be UK or USA and I really can't remember. Does anyone else remember seeing something in the last few months on sentencing by judges at different times? I'm not sure whether it was time of day or day of week or total sitting hours. But it related to fatigue at least. Not so sure whether it related to hunger/ mealtimes.

My last cognitive psych module included the possible influences on decisions made by judges - but I think I know what you are talking about adelady but cant remember the specifics. I'll see if I can dig something out after my swim.

Originally Posted by adelady

OK. I can't think where I read it - might be UK or USA and I really can't remember. Does anyone else remember seeing something in the last few months on sentencing by judges at different times? I'm not sure whether it was time of day or day of week or total sitting hours. But it related to fatigue at least. Not so sure whether it related to hunger/ mealtimes.

Originally Posted by LuciDreaming

My last cognitive psych module included the possible influences on decisions made by judges - but I think I know what you are talking about adelady but cant remember the specifics. I'll see if I can dig something out after my swim.

Cheers ladies, I'll remember that one, if I'm ever up in court I'll remember to make sure the judge gets a free lunch.

I hate having a field day with someone who doesn't eat properly. When I've been working hard, I want to sit down and have a big lunch. The guys who just eat a power bar in the middle of the worksite and call it lunch drive me crazy (especially if they're the ones with the car keys).

When I'm dealing with other people, I'm a LOT less personable when I'm hungry. I'm more likely to write up violations and less likely to be reasonable.

I also lose a lot of focus. I met with the Governor today instead of having lunch and all I could think about was how he shakes hands like the Queen of England.

Isn't there an old saying to never go grocery shopping when you are hungry? The essence of the premise being that you will buy things you would never normally buy because you are hungry?

conventional wisdom claims that: if you shop while hungry, the tendency is to get more sugery snack food

Originally Posted by jack john

well! Hypothalamus is the gland that is responsible for hungery and is hunger center of the body. When glucose falls than the normal level it is trigerred. so hypothalamus is affected after when u feel hungry. Hypothalamus controls pitituary gland which inturn affects all the glands of body to release their harmone. So, affecting hypothalamus affects all your body organs resulting into adverse affect on your body.

Thank you. I kind of had to translate that, but I get it. Mahalo.

Originally Posted by sculptor

conventional wisdom claims that: if you shop while hungry, the tendency is to get more sugery snack food

I never eat the stuff. My worse sugar vice is one teaspoon in my coffee and other than that, an occasional ice cream cone. I tend however, to love fruit. Would that count as sugar?

Originally Posted by LuciDreaming

T
I know in my work place there is a culture of "lunch is for wimps" although I don't go along with that at all. I have my lunch on time every day, away from my desk and I take time to eat it properly and I think my company gets a better employee as a result of it.

Eating later than expected or missing one meal does not count as hunger, unless you are a diabetic on insulin.

There have been studies done on the effects of fasting, using people who fast for religious reasons because this allows the studies to be done ethically. You can find the studies on Google Scholar.

Originally Posted by Alec Bing

Originally Posted by LuciDreaming

T
I know in my work place there is a culture of "lunch is for wimps" although I don't go along with that at all. I have my lunch on time every day, away from my desk and I take time to eat it properly and I think my company gets a better employee as a result of it.

Eating later than expected or missing one meal does not count as hunger, unless you are a diabetic on insulin.

There have been studies done on the effects of fasting, using people who fast for religious reasons because this allows the studies to be done ethically. You can find the studies on Google Scholar.

That rather depends on what you eat Alec and what your breakfast habits are like. A high carb (ie high sugar/grain) diet leaves you depleted more quickly than a high fat diet and so in need of higher frequency of eating. Plus not many people eat a proper breakfast in the morning - in fact a quick straw poll of my colleagues revealed most of them never have breakfast (although they do count coffee as breakfast) and have their first proper meal in the evening, other than that its snack type foods and maybe a sandwich at some point.

I am a daily faster which might sound a bit odd but I eat in a 10 hour window (between 8am and 6pm) and I eat a regular three meals because of my health but I do occasionally miss a meal and don't feel hungry as a result. Unlike my colleagues I am never hungry and never have an afternoon slump and more importantly, I feel alert and awake all day which I think is something a lot of people over 35 would like to be able to say.

I would agree with you if everyone ate an optimal diet - a meal or two missed would be no big deal (and can be beneficial) but so few people start from a position of health in the first place that I think one missed meal does make a difference to them.

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by sculptor

conventional wisdom claims that: if you shop while hungry, the tendency is to get more sugery snack food

I never eat the stuff. My worse sugar vice is one teaspoon in my coffee and other than that, an occasional ice cream cone. I tend however, to love fruit. Would that count as sugar?

Yes.
Fruit is mostly sugar---------fruititarians risk pancreatic cancer by living on a diet that is mostly sugar--------(eg: steve jobs)

Originally Posted by sculptor

Originally Posted by babe

Originally Posted by sculptor

conventional wisdom claims that: if you shop while hungry, the tendency is to get more sugery snack food

I never eat the stuff. My worse sugar vice is one teaspoon in my coffee and other than that, an occasional ice cream cone. I tend however, to love fruit. Would that count as sugar?

Yes.
Fruit is mostly sugar---------fruititarians risk pancreatic cancer by living on a diet that is mostly sugar--------(eg: steve jobs)

Nephew just died of it..at age 38 and not a fruitarian....and from what we have learned through is journey that isn't quite true. *S*......