Mind Over Stomach: A Review of the Cognitive Drivers of Food Satiation

Satiation is the main process that determines when we stop eating; it includes the decrease in sensory enjoyment and the increase in feelings of fullness over the course of eating. The cognitive processes involved in food satiation result from complex interactions between the environment and the body. This review describes how cognition shapes consumers’ experience of satiation by following the externality-internality distinction. First, satiation is shaped by external cues related to the perception of food’s composition, variety, and quantity. The influence of these external cues suggests that satiation is mentally constructed based on expectancies and beliefs. Second, satiation depends on consumers’ awareness of, attention to, and perception of internal (or bodily) signals—whether these internal signals are experienced during a meal, remembered from a past meal, or anticipated for a future meal. This has implications for understanding the role of food marketing in hedonics and overeating.