International Journal of Humanities and Social Science Vol. 2 No. 7; April 2012 12 The Relationship between the Cognitive Underpinnings of Addiction and Compulsive Eating Behavior Jennifer L. Bowler Department of Psychology East Carolina University 104 Rawl, Greenville NC 27858, USA. Mark C. Bowler Department of Psychology East Carolina University 104 Rawl, Greenville NC 27858, USA. John G. Cope Department of Psychology East Carolina University 104 Rawl, Greenville NC 27858, USA. Abstract Obesity is a national epidemic that jeopardizes individual longevity and incurs significant increases in both healthcare and employee assistance program costs (Anderson, 2008; Cawley, Rizzo, & Haas, 2007). Subsequently, efforts are mounting to encourage healthy lifestyles and support individuals wishing to proactively improve their health (Grawitch, Ledford, Ballard, & Barber, 2009; Heinen & Darling, 2009; Pronk & Kottke, 2009; Quick, 1999). An implicit personality measure may assist in identifying the cognitive biases that present obstacles to these efforts. Specifically, this study examined the relationship between the implicit cognitions related to addiction and an assessment of compulsive eating behavior. Results indicated that reliance on the implicit cognitions related to addiction are significantly related (r = .31) to outcomes associated with overeating. Implications for research and practice are discussed. Keywords: addiction; compulsive eating; personality; conditional reasoning 1. Introduction Obesity is a growing epidemic that has recently gained significant empirical attention (e.g., Blass, 2008; Volkow & Wise, 2005; Yaskin, Toner, & Goldfarb, 2009). The obesity rate has more than doubled in the last 30 years (Cawley, Rizzo, & Hawes, 2007; Flegal, Carroll, Ogden, & Johnson, 2002; Ogden et al., 2006), and nearly two- thirds of the U.S. population are now classified as either overweight or obese (defined as having body mass index scores > 25 and 30, respectively). Obesity in particular engenders a host of major health problems and is currently the second leading preventable cause of disease and death in the U.S. (Anderson, 2008; Yaskin et al., 2009). Furthermore, organizations sustain significant costs related to obese employees via increased insurance premiums, primary care costs, and employee assistance program spending (Cawley et al., 2007; Finkelstein, Fiebelkorn, and Wang, 2005; Schmier, Jones, & Halpern, 2006; Yaskin et al., 2009). Thus, efforts to curtail behaviors that facilitate the progression of obesity (e.g., compulsive eating) offer both individual and organizational benefits (Grawitch et al., 2009; Heinen & Darling, 2009; Pronk & Kottke, 2009). A variety of factors have been implicated in the prevalence of obesity, and although biological factors are readily acknowledged in an individual’s susceptibility to become overweight or obese (Baessler et al., 2005; Blass, 2008), behavioral factors are pivotal in either reversing or perpetuating this condition (Ogden, Yanovski, Carroll, & Flegal, 2007). Specifically, compulsive eating patterns and binge eating disorder have been implicated in laying the groundwork for obesity to ensue (Yanovski, 2003).