Question 1

What are the best foods to eat when hangry?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

For sustained results, try to partake in nourishing foods (e.g., veggies, whole grains, foods high in protein) instead of reaching for a candy bar. If you need something quick, grab a protein bar instead.

Question 2

Any tips on getting young children to recognize their own hangry-ness?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Most children are always on the go. Their bodies need nutritious food for their organs and systems. The best way to help children recognize that they are hangry, is to point it out to them. When you notice they are getting cranky and irritable, ask them if they are hungry. Then explain to them that our brains need fuel to help us control our emotions, including angry feelings. We get the fuel from the food we eat. Healthy foods with fiber and protein (e.g., veggies, whole grains) keep the "gas tank" fuller for a longer time period. Always be sure to have healthy meals and snacks on hand. When our children were young, we had a rule that they would eat five servings of fruits and veggies each day, but we let them choose the fruits and veggies.

Question 3

Hi Brad, I guess that your illustration triggered this Q. Are there sexual differences when it comes to hangriness? My own life-long experiences suggests that it might be so – but is there any research that would support this hunch? Hope you and your extended family are safe and happy in Columbus!

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

We have not found gender differences in our research. Hungry people tend to become angry regardless of their gender. However, there are gender differences if anger is expressed as aggressive behavior. Males and females tend to use different forms of aggression. Physical aggression is higher in males than females, whereas indirect aggression (e.g., gossiping, spreading rumors) is higher in females than males. Verbal aggression is similar in males and females.

Question 4

Is hunger mental or physical?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

It can be both. When people are deprived of food they naturally become hungry. This is a physical process. But people eat for a variety of reasons other than the need to survive, such as because of psychological stress. for comfort, because they are bored, out of habit, in response to a cue (e.g., seeing an advertisement for a food product), for comfort, to celebrate, etc.

Question 5

What is the science behind hangry?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Great question.  Dr. Deena Adimoolam, a professor of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Bone Disease, provides an explanation "When we do not eat, blood sugar goes low," she said. When our blood sugar gets low, the hormones cortisol and epinephrine are released in an attempt to raise it back to normal levels. But those hormones are also linked to irritability. In addition, the hormone Neuropeptide Y helps create a hungry feeling when your body needs more food, but it is also linked to aggression.

Reference: Naftulin, J. (June 13, 2018). Why we get hangry, according to science. Health. Retrieved from https://www.health.com/nutrition/what-is-hangry

Question 6

Why do I seem to be more likely to experience hangriness in the evening vs morning when I have fasted and am therefore glucose depleted?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Depletion theory predicts that willpower can become depleted when people use it throughout the day. In an influential early demonstration of this principle,  participants arrived at the laboratory having skipped a meal, so most were hungry. The researchers baked fresh chocolate chip cookies, which filled the room with a delicious and tempting aroma. Each participant was seated at a table in front of a stack of these cookies and delectable chocolates, as well as a bowl of radishes. In the important condition, the experimenter told each participant, “You have been assigned to the radish condition,” which meant they were supposed to eat only radishes. The experimenter then left the participant alone for five minutes to eat. This task required considerable willpower to resist the tempting chocolates and cookies and eat only the radishes as instructed. In other conditions, participants were permitted to eat cookies and chocolate instead of radishes, or no food was present at all. After this, the participants were set to work on some difficult (actually unsolvable) problems, and the researchers measured how long people kept trying before they gave up, because willpower is also needed to keep trying when you feel discouraged and want to quit. Consistent with depletion theory that willpower gets used up, the participants in the radish condition quit sooner than participants in the other two conditions. Thus, resisting temptation (in the form of chocolates and cookies) used up some willpower, so those participants had less left over to help them keep working on the frustrating puzzles.

Source: Baumeister, R. F., Bratslavsky, E., Muraven, M., & Tice, D. M. (1998). Ego depletion: Is the active self a limited resource? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 74, 1252–1265.

Question 7

Are their certain people who are more prone to hangriness e.g., due to genes, psychological profile?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Yes, some people are more prone to hungriness, In particular, people who have trouble metabolizing glucose (e.g., diabetics) are especially prone to becoming hangry. People with glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency lack an enzyme related to glucose metabolism. It is the most common enzyme deficiency in the world and is especially common among individuals with diabetes.

Question 8

Why are we more likely to lash out at people we love than co-workers for example, when hangry?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Our research suggests that hangry people lash out aggressively at both strangers and loved ones. Of course, we don't want to hurt the ones we love. Thus, when you have a discussion about a sensitive topic with a loved one, be sure not to do it on an empty stomach.

Sources:

DeWall, C. N., Deckman, T., Gailliot, M. T., & Bushman, B. J. (2011). Sweetened blood cools hot tempers: Physiological self-control and aggression. Aggressive Behavior, 37(1), 73-80. DOI: 10.1002/ab.20366

Bushman, B. J., DeWall, C. N., Pond, R. S. Jr., & Hanus, M. D. (2014). Low glucose relates to greater aggression in married couples. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), 111(17), 6254-6257. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1400619111

Question 9

Is it possible to control hangry?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Yes, it is definitely possible to control feeling "hangry" (hungry + angry). The best way is by eating healthy foods. Although sugary foods and beverages provide glucose the brain needs to regulate emotions, you get a quick spike in glucose followed by a quick decline. It is better to eat foods like vegetables and whole grains, which keep glucose levels higher for longer. If you feel yourself getting "hangry" and you don't have time to eat a healthy meal, grab a protein bar.

Question 10

How does hangry differ from other forms of anger?

Brad Bushman · Accepted Answer

Anger is an emotional response to a real or imagined threat or provocation. Anger can range in intensity from mild irritation to extreme rage. One threat is lack of food. But anger can be caused by many factors other than lack of food, such as frustration, insults, social rejection, and unpleasant events (e.g., hot temperatures, loud noises, irritants in the air, unpleasant odors, crowding, stress).

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