To make your mouth water or not? How field dependence/independence and occasion-setting cues affect consumers’ food intake intention

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to empirically investigate how the interaction effect of occasion-setting cues and consumers’ cognitive styles (e.g. field dependence levels) influences their food intake intention. Design/methodology/approach In this research, several scenario simulation studies were conducted to verify the hypotheses. A total of 646 participants were recruited for the experiments, and samples were obtained through well-established online research platforms. Findings In the occasion-setting cue advertisement condition, field-dependent (vs field-independent) consumers displayed increased cravings for food and purchase intention, with mental simulation playing a mediating role and cognitive load playing a moderating role. Research limitations/implications The influence of others (e.g. servers and other consumers) was not taken into consideration in this study. Future research can extend this study by conducting field experiments. Practical implications The research conclusions can help various organisations reduce consumers’ food overconsumption intention and encourage healthier food choices by adjusting occasion-setting cues in marketing stimuli and identifying the target consumers’ cognitive styles. Originality/value Based on embodied cognition theory, this study reveals the influence and internal mechanism of the interaction effect between occasion-setting cues and individual cognitive style on eating desire.

Guest editorial: psychological perspectives on consumer obesity

“…Yao et al (2022) focus how the interaction effect of occasion-setting cues and consumers’ cognitive styles affects their food intake intention. Using several scenario simulation studies, their findings show that, in the occasion-setting cue advertisement condition, field-dependent (vs field-independent) consumers display increased cravings for food and purchase intention, whereas mental simulation plays a mediating role and cognitive load acts as a moderator.…”

“…proximal food pictures are implicitly related with tastiness more for indulgent (vs non-indulgent) foods; lead to higher purchase intention for indulgent food upon a single exposure driven by increased perceived tastiness; and evoke satiation upon multiple exposures. Yao et al (2022) focus how the interaction effect of occasion-setting cues and consumers' cognitive styles affects their food intake intention. Using several scenario simulation studies, their findings show that, in the occasion-setting cue advertisement condition, field-dependent (vs field-independent) consumers display increased cravings for food and purchase intention, whereas mental simulation plays a mediating role and cognitive load acts as a moderator.…”

“…The prevalence of obesity has increased at an exponential rate over the past decades (Petersen et al , 2019; Thaiss, 2018). Currently, more than 39% of the global population are considered overweight, and 13% are obese (Yao et al , 2022; Connors et al , 2021). Thus, obesity rates at a global scale have escalated to the point of becoming a global epidemic (Pachali et al , 2022; Moore et al , 2017).…”