Category: Social psychology

Psychologist Melanie Joy coined the term 'carnism' in 2001 to describe the invisible belief system that conditions people to eat certain animals. This ideology normalizes the consumption of meat, dairy, and eggs, while hiding the ethical contradictions from view.

Research indicates that people tend to consume significantly more food when eating with others, a phenomenon known as social facilitation. This is a prime example of social influence on food habits, where the presence of dining companions subtly but powerfully alters our eating patterns and portion sizes.

Studies consistently show that women are significantly more likely to identify as vegetarian or vegan than men are. This established disparity in dietary habits reveals a complex interplay of motivations, from ethical concerns to social conditioning, that helps explain which gender is more vegetarian and the factors behind their choices.

According to a groundbreaking study by the *New England Journal of Medicine*, a person's chances of becoming obese increase by 57% if a close friend becomes obese, highlighting the significant role of social ties in health. This startling statistic helps explain how do your friends influence your food choices, often without you even realizing it.