Glucose Increases Risky Behavior and Attitudes in People Low in Self-Control: A pilot study

Pfundmair, Michaela; Lermer, Eva und Frey, Dieter (15. März 2017): Glucose Increases Risky Behavior and Attitudes in People Low in Self-Control: A pilot study. In: Social Psychology, Bd. 48, Nr. 1: S. 47-53

Abstract

People low in self-control have a strong proclivity toward risk-taking. Risk-taking behavior provides an opportunity to obtain some form of reward. Glucose, on the other hand, seems to facilitate reward and goal-directed behavior. In a pilot study executed in the laboratory, we investigated whether consuming a glucose drink would increase risky behavior and attitudes in people low in self-control. Our findings revealed that a dose of glucose compared to placebo increased risk-taking on a behavioral and cognitive level in participants low in self-control but not in participants high in self-control. The findings may shed some light on the psychological underpinnings of glucose: By showing glucose's association with high-risk behavior, they support the assumption of glucose driving a goal-directed motivation.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Publikationsform: Publisher's Version
• Keywords: glucose; reward; risk-taking; self-control
• Fakultät: Psychologie und Pädagogik > Department Psychologie > Sozialpsychologie
• Themengebiete: 100 Philosophie und Psychologie > 150 Psychologie
• ISSN: 1864-9335
• Allianz-/Nationallizenz: Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.
• Sprache: Englisch