The Psychology of

Eating
PSY 314
May 2020
Week 01
 COURSE DESCRIPTION
This subject introduces students to the specialized
field of eating behaviors with an emphasis on
“normal” eating behavior.

This subject also aims to provide an overview of

the various biological, psychological, and social
factors that influence our food choices and their
implications to our health and wellbeing.

If you’re thinking that this subject will teach you how to eat properly
and look good, look at the lecturer and think again .
 ASSIGNMENTS
1. Individual Project: Critical Essay (CLO 3) 20%
2. Group Project: Digital Campaign (CLO 4) 40%
3. Final exams (CLO 1, 2, 3) 40%
Total: 100%

Please bear in mind that this is a short semester and you

might have a thesis to do.
Think about the time management (Especially for the
individual project)
Think again: Are you sure you are taking this subject?
Assignment O NE: Individual
Project
Conduct an observation of eating behavior of a
household or any group of people, or
individuals and Analyze the biological,
psychological, and social mechanisms of their
eating activities within a week of your choice.
• It can’t be yourself.
• It is recommended to observe more than 1
individual, just in case.
• To avoid bias, they might not need to know
you’re observing them
 Assignment ONE: Individual
Project
The components of the project are:
• Report and analysis on how they acquire their food. You are
expected to observe and analyze the biological, psychological and social
mechanism or how they acquire and/or prepare their food.
• Report and analysis on the eating behavior pattern. You are
expected to observe and analyze the biological, psychological and social
mechanism of one individual in the observed group in term of their eating
behavior pattern (amount, frequency, special diets, etc.)
• Hypothetical prediction of their physical, mental, and social
well-being in the near future. Based on your observation, you need to
hypothesize how your participants physical, mental and social well-being in
the upcoming year if their pattern remains the same as the week you have
observed (not judging, just hypothesizing, they don’t need to know your
judgment… I mean, your hypothesis)
 Assignment O NE: Individual
Project
The work should be submitted in a MS WORD form Unit
in TURNITIN by DEADLINE.
MAX
MARKS
MARKS

Filename should be: B123456_As01_PSY314 The report of how the they acquire their 20  
food in a week (Part A)
The contents should be put into the following
sequence: Discussion of Part A 20  
• Title, original name as in IC/Passport and student ID
• The report of how the they acquire their food in a The report of how the eating behavior of 20  
week (Part A) the person you observe (Part B)
• Brief discussion of Part A
• The report of how the eating behavior of the person
you observe (Part B) Discussion of Part B 20  
• Brief discussion of Part B
• Analysis and hypothetical prediction of their condition 20  
Hypothetical Prediction Report
in the near future.
• Marking Scheme (right ) 100  
TOTAL
 Assignment TW0 : Group
Project
Groups of 6-8 students need to produce a short clip (1-
2 minutes IGTV clip) of a campaign based on your
Assignment One.
*In the wake of MCO, the digital campaign can be done ‘from home’ by using
projected power point presentation with voice over or BGM.
• You have your freedom to choose which member’s
result of the assignment one you will use as the
base of your project, you can even combine them if
you want.
• You are also free to choose either you use their
observation objects as “models of good eating
behavior” or “please don’t be like them.”
 Assignment TWO : Group
Project
The work should be submitted as IGTV posts with
hashtags #314psychologyofeating and #psychathelpuni by
DEADLINE. The 1-3 clip should contain the following
elements:
• Title of the campaign (As an opening scene)
• Your concern about the effect (positive / negative) of the habit
and pattern from your assignment one.
• Theoretical explanation of why it was positive or negative
• Concluding remark (to follow the pattern, or to offer a better
alternative)
• Short, few seconds credit roll for any copyrighted materials.
 Assignment TWO : Group
Project
The paperwork element of assignment TWO should be
submitted to Turnitin, and consist of the following elements:
• Title of the campaign (As in the opening scene)
• Full names of your group members (As in the IC/Passport, don’t put
your alias or alter the sequence of the surname and last name)
• This marking scheme:
Unit MAX MARKS
Relation to the knowledge of PSY314 40  
Accuracy of the message 20  
Persuasiveness 30  
Aesthetic 5  
Creativity 5  
TOTAL 100  
THE FIN L EX M
The final examination (40%)
• The final exam will be conducted as online open-book
assignment (as in January semester).
• Students will be given a certain (long) period of time to do
all the subjective questions in the exam and utilize any
sources to help them developing their answers.
• Usually, two hours of time window will be provided for
question and answer.
• Changes of the exam method will be announced later.