Suppose that Dorothy and Tim are out to lunch together, and both are on restricted-calorie diets. Which of the following would be the best example of counterregulation?
A) Dorothy notices that Tim has ordered a cheeseburger (and broken his diet), and therefore she feels that she has "permission" to break her diet too. She then goes ahead and orders a cheeseburger for herself.
B) After ordering a cheeseburger for lunch, Dorothy thinks to herself, "well, my diet is already blown for the day; I might as well order a dessert too." She then goes ahead and orders a deluxe chocolate milkshake.
C) Dorothy orders a cheeseburger and milkshake for lunch, and thus blows her diet for the day. When Tim starts to order a similar lunch, though, Dorothy chastises him and tells him that he should try to eat a less fattening lunch.
D) After ordering a cheeseburger and milkshake for lunch, and thus blowing her diet for the day, Dorothy feels remorseful and decides to go to the gym and skip dinner that night.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Counterregulation refers to the phenomenon where individuals who are trying to restrict their caloric intake may actually overeat in response to certain cues, such as the sight or smell of food. In this scenario, Dorothy's decision to order a dessert after already breaking her diet for the day is an example of counterregulation. She is essentially telling herself that since she has already "blown" her diet, she might as well indulge further.

Suppose That Dorothy and Tim Are Out to Lunch Together