Discuss two or more evolutionary explanations of food preferences
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A-Level (PSYA3: Eating Behaviour) Psychology Mapa Mental sobre Discuss two or more evolutionary explanations of food preferences, creado por a a el 07/06/2016.
Discuss two or more evolutionary
explanations of food preferences
AO1
Environment of
evolutionary
adaptation (EEA)
Humans first emerged
2 million yrs ago in
the African Savannah
Natural
selection
favoured those
best adapted
to the
environment
Preferences for fatty, energy rich
foods (e.g. meat) were favoured
Because it was a
feast-famine cycle
so important to
have lots of energy
Milton 2008
There was a need to eat meat to help
brain development, as plants alone
wouldn't have given enough protein
Taste Aversion
Originally known as bait shyness, as rats quickly
learnt that poison was toxic, so knew to avoid it
Garcia 1955
Rats exposed to radiation
(which made them ill)
after eating saccharin
quickly learnt to avoid it
Thiamine deficient rats that were injected with thiamine
after eating a certain food developed a preference for it
This had huge advantage in EEA as toxins
could quickly be avoided to aid survival
AO2
EEA
Gibson and Wardle
Calories were v important in
EEA. 4-5 yr old kids preferred
fruits + veg that were the most
calorific, not the sweetest
Cordain
Humans in EEA could've survived off
of vegetation alone, however this is
disputed by anthropological evidence
Our innate food
preferences that
evolved to aid
survival may be
harmful now (e.g.
preference for high
fat, high cholesterol
foods)
Taste Aversion
Sandell & Breslin 2006
35 ppts tested for the bitter taste receptor gene. Ppts then had to rate bitterness of
various vegetables. Those with sensitive version of gene rated veg containing
glucosinolates (which can be toxic) as 60% more bitter. Traits such as this would've
have a very good evolutionary advantage
IDA
Post Hoc
Theory is
post hoc as
the
conditions of
the EEA can't
be replicated
so it's
impossible to
truly prove
any of the
theory
Animal Studies
Conditions in EEA
can't be
replicated, but
some similar
species (e.g.
chimpanzees) are
facing the same
evolutionary
pressures we
may've faced, so
their food
behaviours gives
insight into our
evolved
preferences
Cultural
Differences
Bell et al
Sugary foods
given to native
people of Alaska,
despite not
having any sweet
foods in diet
previously, ppts
quickly
developed a
preference for it,
which shows that
food preference
is innate and not
culturally bound
Real Life
Application
Berstein and Webster
Patients about to undergo chemo were given
novel flavoured ice cream to avoid a taste
aversion occurring with a food they previously liked