On 17 Jun 2005, Donald McBurney wrote: > I recall another study that involved self selection of diet by very > young children, but cannot think of the author or source, but it was > done by a man in the 1940's (I would guess). It was well referenced in > the older food intake literature. Sorry, I can't be more specific > without doing some digging. > The conclusion drawn from it was that children self-selected a > balanced diet over days, but were pretty unbalanced over the short > term--if memory serves(!!!).
Intrigued by Don's comment, I briefly tried to see if I could dig up the study he remembers. I couldn't. But I did find an interesting paper by Galef (1991) on this issue of the "wisdom of the body" (a term for this topic probably invented by W. B. Cannon), in which Galef takes what he calls a "contrarian view" on the question. Galef notes that Clara Davis knew that her famous self-selection experiment could only work if all the choices were nutritious. He quotes her in a later publication as saying about it, "Self-selection can have no, or but doubtful value, if the diet must be selected from inferior foods". Galef comments, "Provision of an assortment of nutritious, roughtly equally palatable foods, rather than an ability to select needed foods, was probably responsible for much of the success of Davis's subjects" Stephen Galef, B. (1991). A contrarian view of the wisdom of the body as it relates to dietary self-selection. _Psychological Review_, 98, 218- 223. ___________________________________________________ Stephen L. Black, Ph.D. tel: (819) 822-9600 ext 2470 Department of Psychology fax: (819) 822-9661 Bishop's University e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Lennoxville, QC J1M 1Z7 Canada Dept web page at http://www.ubishops.ca/ccc/div/soc/psy TIPS discussion list for psychology teachers at http://faculty.frostburg.edu/psyc/southerly/tips/index.htm _______________________________________________ --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: archive@jab.org To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
