In Brief:
Finch et al. conducted a randomized Pavlovian conditioning intervention designed to elicit comforting effects of fruit intake. For 70 days, intervention participants completed Progressive Muscle Relaxation and consumed fruit simultaneously; control participants also did both tasks daily but separated in time. After the intervention, fruit intake improved negative mood to a greater extent among the intervention versus control group. Repeated pairing of fruit with a relaxation activity led to the conditioning of comforting effects of fruit intake.
