Communicating eating-related rules. Suggestions are more effective than restrictions

The potential of peer social norms to shape food intake in adolescents and young adults: a systematic review of effects and moderators

“…In developing social norm interventions it therefore seems prudent to keep in mind that injunctive norm messages may not always lead to the desired effect in adolescents, and that norm messages are best presented in a subtle manner. Recent research (Stok, De Vet, De Wit, Renner, & De Ridder, 2015) provides corroborating evidence for a potential boundary effect of the forcefulness of injunctive norm messages on food intake by showing that phrasing a norm as a suggestion ('it is better not to eat'), rather than a prescription ('you are not allowed to eat'), resulted in less (compensatory) unhealthy eating once the restriction on consumption was lifted. Importantly, forcefulness of the norm message is expected to only affect the influence of injunctive norms, as descriptive norm messages merely describe other people's behaviour and therefore should not induce a feeling of being steered in a certain direction.…”

Touch forbidden, consumption allowed: Counter-intuitive effects of touch restrictions on customers’ purchase behavior

“…In support of this claim, previous research has shown, ironically, that restrictions on certain food products increase their desirability (Mann & Ward, 2001) and the resulting consumption of these very products (Jansen et al, 2007;Stok et al, 2015). Additionally, restricting customers' freedom to visit a particular food setting (for example, a cafeteria) results in higher attractiveness ratings of that food setting (West, 1975).…”

“…Thus, whenever a person's freedom is restricted, the desire to retain that freedom makes the person more motivated to obtain both the freedom per se and the goods associated with it (Cialdini, 2001). This is why items that are hard to reach or obtain are perceived as more attractive (Bushman & Stack, 1996;Clee & Wicklund, 1980;Mazis, Settle, & Leslie, 1973) -a finding that also applies to foods and beverages (Stok, de Vet, de Wit, Renner, & de Ridder, 2015;Van Herpen, Pieters, & Zeelenberg, 2014). For instance, the attractiveness of a cafeteria's food will increase if people are told that they cannot use that cafeteria for the following two weeks (West, 1975).…”

“…For instance, the attractiveness of a cafeteria's food will increase if people are told that they cannot use that cafeteria for the following two weeks (West, 1975). Furthermore, restricting certain food products increases the desirability of those foods (Mann & Ward, 2001) and leads to their relatively higher consumption (e.g., Jansen, Mulkens, & Jansen, 2007;Stok et al, 2015). The inference from these results is that restricting product touch during an in-store product demonstration may evoke a stronger urge to touch products, thereby increasing the likelihood that customers will touch a larger number of products after the demonstration has taken place and will ultimately end up purchasing a larger number of products and spending more money.…”

Don’t Tell Me What to Do

“…Even more recently, Stok, de Vet, de Wit, Renner, and de Ridder (2015) found that restrictive eating rules led to increased unhealthy consumption. During an initial task, participants were told they were not allowed to eat any M&Ms, that it was best if they did not eat the M&Ms, or were not presented M&Ms (as a control).…”