When I was a kid, I used to spend hours listening to Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky on their Sunday night radio showLoveline.
When
I
was
a
kid
,
I
used
to
spend
hours
listening
to
Adam
Carolla
and
Dr.
Drew
Pinsky
on
their
Sunday
night
radio
showLoveline
.
I listened so often that I began to use one of their well-known phrases--"good times"--in my daily conversations.
I
listened
so
often
that
I
began
to
use
one
of
their
well-known
phrases
--
``
good
times
''
--
in
my
daily
conversations
.
Scientists have a name for this phenomenon: behavioral mimicry.
Scientists
have
a
name
for
this
phenomenon
:
behavioral
mimicry
.
You've probably experienced this before: after spending enough time with another person, you might start to pick up on his or her behavior or speech habits.
You
've
probably
experienced
this
before
:
after
spending
enough
time
with
another
person
,
you
might
start
to
pick
up
on
his
or
her
behavior
or
speech
habits
.
You might even start to develop your friend's habits without realizing it.
You
might
even
start
to
develop
your
friend
's
habits
without
realizing
it
.
There is a large body of literature concerning this sort of phenomenon, and it regularly happens for everything from body postures to accents to drink patterns.
There
is
a
large
body
of
literature
concerning
this
sort
of
phenomenon
,
and
it
regularly
happens
for
everything
from
body
postures
to
accents
to
drink
patterns
.
For example, one study found that young adults were more likely to drink their drink directly after their same-sex drinking partners, than for the two individuals to drink at their own paces.
For
example
,
one
study
found
that
young
adults
were
more
likely
to
drink
their
drink
directly
after
their
same-sex
drinking
partners
,
than
for
the
two
individuals
to
drink
at
their
own
paces
.
And the effect isn't limited to real-life face-to-face activities.
And
the
effect
is
n't
limited
to
real-life
face-to-face
activities
.
Another study found that the same you-drink-then-I-drink pattern held even when watching a movie!
Another
study
found
that
the
same
you-drink-then-I-drink
pattern
held
even
when
watching
a
movie
!
In other words, people were more likely to take a drink of their drinks in a theater after watching the actors on the screen enjoy a drink.
In
other
words
,
people
were
more
likely
to
take
a
drink
of
their
drinks
in
a
theater
after
watching
the
actors
on
the
screen
enjoy
a
drink
.
At least I don't feel so strange anymore, having picked up on Adam Carolla's "good times".
At
least
I
do
n't
feel
so
strange
anymore
,
having
picked
up
on
Adam
Carolla
's
``
good
times
''
.
New research published today in the journalPLOS ONEindicates that the same sort of behavioral mimicry is responsible for social eating, at least among university-age women of normal weight.
New
research
published
today
in
the
journalPLOS
ONEindicates
that
the
same
sort
of
behavioral
mimicry
is
responsible
for
social
eating
,
at
least
among
university-age
women
of
normal
weight
.
That's right: the young women were more likely to adjust their eating according to the eating pace of their same-sex dining companion.
That
's
right
:
the
young
women
were
more
likely
to
adjust
their
eating
according
to
the
eating
pace
of
their
same-sex
dining
companion
.
As with most experiments, these results raise a whole new set of questions.
As
with
most
experiments
,
these
results
raise
a
whole
new
set
of
questions
.
Still, the finding that behavioral mimicry may at least partly account for eating behavior is important, and has real effects on health.
Still
,
the
finding
that
behavioral
mimicry
may
at
least
partly
account
for
eating
behavior
is
important
,
and
has
real
effects
on
health
.
The researchers note that "as long as people don't fully recognize such important influences on intake, it will be difficult to make healthy food choices and keep a healthy diet, especially when people are exposed to the eating behavior of others".
The
researchers
note
that
``
as
long
as
people
do
n't
fully
recognize
such
important
influences
on
intake
,
it
will
be
difficult
to
make
healthy
food
choices
and
keep
a
healthy
diet
,
especially
when
people
are
exposed
to
the
eating
behavior
of
others
''
.
When I was a kid, I used to spend hours listening to Adam Carolla and Dr. Drew Pinsky on their Sunday night radio showLoveline. I listened so often that I began to use one of their well-known phrases--"good times"--in my daily conversations. Scientists have a name for this phenomenon: behavioral mimicry.  You've probably experienced this before: after spending enough time with another person, you might start to pick up on his or her behavior or speech habits. You might even start to develop your friend's habits without realizing it. There is a large body of literature concerning this sort of phenomenon, and it regularly happens for everything from body postures to accents to drink patterns. For example, one study found that young adults were more likely to drink their drink directly after their same-sex drinking partners, than for the two individuals to drink at their own paces.  And the effect isn't limited to real-life face-to-face activities. Another study found that the same you-drink-then-I-drink pattern held even when watching a movie! In other words, people were more likely to take a drink of their drinks in a theater after watching the actors on the screen enjoy a drink. At least I don't feel so strange anymore, having picked up on Adam Carolla's "good times".  New research published today in the journalPLOS ONEindicates that the same sort of behavioral mimicry is responsible for social eating, at least among university-age women of normal weight. That's right: the young women were more likely to adjust their eating according to the eating pace of their same-sex dining companion.  As with most experiments, these results raise a whole new set of questions. Still, the finding that behavioral mimicry may at least partly account for eating behavior is important, and has real effects on health. The researchers note that "as long as people don't fully recognize such important influences on intake, it will be difficult to make healthy food choices and keep a healthy diet, especially when people are exposed to the eating behavior of others".