Faculty Sponsor
Sandra Langeslag
Final Abstract for URS Program
People in love often crave their beloved, and some people who enjoy chocolate crave chocolate. This study explored the differences in craving, pleasantness, and arousal for the beloved and for chocolate. It also measured whether people exhibited a greater attentional bias for their beloved or chocolate. It is hypothesized that participants would experience greater craving, pleasantness, and arousal for their beloved than for chocolate. Additionally, some difference was expected for attentional bias toward the beloved and chocolate, but the directionality was not predicted. Six participants (M = 23.83 years, SD = 3.66) who reported being in love and self-identified as chocolate cravers, were recruited. Data collection is ongoing. Participants answered questions about their love feelings and chocolate consumption. They completed two modified versions of the Questionnaire on Smoking Urges: one assessed state craving for the beloved; and the other assessed state craving for chocolate. Attentional bias, attentional orienting, and attentional disengagement were assessed using the dot-probe task with pictures of the beloved and of people eating/holding chocolate. A Self-Assessment Manikin was used to assess the pleasantness and arousal ratings of participants in response to the beloved and chocolate pictures. Results showed significantly higher rates of craving, pleasantness, and arousal in response to the beloved picture than to chocolate. There were no significant differences in attentional bias measurements for the beloved or chocolate. These results are informative for future research to explore reasons for higher craving, pleasantness, and arousal toward the beloved than chocolate. As more participants are tested, more can be known about attentional bias directionality which could be helpful in the design of treatment of problems such as romantic rejection, and drug and behavioral addictions. This study offers insight into the similarities and differences between love and addiction.
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Document Type
Article