Cognitive Load and Neuro-Economics: Implications for Health Literacy and Nutrition Education Program Design

Recorded Tuesday, August 2, 2016.
Moderator: Alisha Farris, PhD, Virginia Tech
Speakers: George Davis, PhD, Virginia Tech; Elena Serrano, PhD, Virginia Tech
Cognitive load is determined by how much attention, focus, and concentration a decision requires. Neuro-economics is a relatively new field of economics that combines methods and theories from neuroscience, psychology, economics, and computer science to better understand the process of decision-making and the resulting choices. The goal of this session is to provide participants with a foundation in these disciplines to help develop more effective programming. This session will provide an overview of cognitive load and neuro-economics as they apply to food choices and nutrition with opportunities for group discussion to consider applications within programs and also research initiatives.
Learning Objectives:

• To understand the constructs of cognitive load and neuro-economics.To identify how cognitive load and neuro-economics help provide insight into food and nutrition choices, particularly among individuals with budget constraints, such as low-income individuals.To discuss strategies for addressing cognitive load and neuro-economics within nutrition education programs and research.