Dr. Janet Polivy

RESEARCH

Janet Polivy's research has focused on the difficulties of self-regulation and self-change (the False Hope Syndrome), the influences of restrained eating and caloric restriction on cognition, emotion, and behavior, the influences of personality (in particular restrained eating, or chronic dieting) on eating, the effects of emotion, cognition and socio-cultural factors on eating behavior, and various aspects of body image, media influences and self-esteem. The relevance of these factors to eating disorders, obesity, and women's health, and conceptual models of dieting, eating, and self-change are issues explored in her theoretical papers and talks.