Selective Sensitization: Consuming a Food Activates a Goal to Consume Its Complements

Eating a food reduces the desire to eat more of that food. General-process theories of motivation posit that eating a food also increases the motivation to eat other foods—an effect known as cross-stimulus sensitization. The authors propose that eating a food selectively sensitizes consumers to its complements rather than to all foods. Eating a food activates a goal to consume foods that consumers perceive to be well paired with the consumed...