Center for Behavioral Decision Research

CBDR : Seminar Series : Seminar by Jessica Wisdom

Promoting Healthy Choices: Information vs. Convenience

	presented by Jessica Wisdom (CMU)


	Thursday, January 31	link to paper
	12-1:30
	Porter 223D	link to Speaker's Site

	Abstract:

	Recently, at least 15 states have introduced legislation that would require chain restaurants (including “fast food” franchises) to prominently display calorie information on their menu boards. Yet despite an ongoing legislative debate, the consequences of posting calorie information remain unclear. We present a study to compare the effects of calorie information and “asymmetrically paternalistic” encouragement favoring low calorie foods (i.e. the ease of healthy options) on fast food consumers’ food choices. Participants were given menus which varied as to: 1) provision of nutrition information and, 2) which items (healthy or not) were presented first. Our results suggest that a strictly informational approach may be less effective than subtle guidance in enticing fast-food customers towards less caloric meals.

	Host at CMU: