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Research Food for Thought Fast food developed in response to Americans' search for con- venience, but its effect on the psyche might be much more sinister, accord- ing to researchers Chen- Bo Zhong and Sanford DeVoe of the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management in Canada. In fact, just seeing the McDonald's golden arches can make people impatient, even if they don't step inside for a quick meal. In one experiment, Zhong and DeVoe exposed participants to fast food symbols such as the golden arches on a computer screen for only a few milliseconds— participants were not consciously aware of the images. Next, the researchers asked them to com- plete a reading task. They found that those exposed to the images completed the reading task faster 52 Chen-Bo Zhong Sanford DeVoe than those in a control group, even though increased speed offered no advantage. Two other experiments also found that participants' need for speed and instant gratification increased after exposure to images related to fast food. For instance, participants asked to recall a meal at a fast food restaurant were most likely to prefer time-saving products. Those exposed to fast food logos also were more likely to choose a smaller sum of money today over a much larger sum in the future. These findings indicate that fast food can alter how people experience their leisure time, say the research- ers. "The goal of saving time gets activated upon exposure to fast food regardless of whether time is a rel- evant factor," says Zhong. "For example, walking faster is time efficient when one is trying to make a meeting, but it's a sign of impatience when one is going for a stroll in the park." The researchers say they can't be certain whether fast food is the cause or the effect of society's increas- ing emphasis on time effi- ciency. But fast food has effects that go beyond the nutritional, says Zhong. "It is also influencing our everyday psychology and behavior in a wider set of domains than was previ- ously thought." The paper "You Are How You Eat: Fast Food and Impatience" is forthcoming in the journal Psychological Science. The complete study is available at www. rotman.utoronto.ca/newthinking/ fastfood.pdf. BizEd JULY/AUGUST 2010 'Alone Time' Is Better For Brainstorming Companies that want to innovate may need to provide employees time for solo brainstorming before ask- ing them to bring their ideas into a group. In fact, traditional group- oriented brainstorming may actually hinder idea generation, according to a study by Karan Girotra, professor of technology and operations manage- ment at INSEAD in Fontainebleau, France; and Christian Terwiesch and Karl Ulrich, operations and informa- tion management professors at The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. The researchers say that a hybrid approach to innovation—in which people brainstorm on their own before doing so in a group— brought better ideas to the table. In addition, they found that the best idea that emerged from a hybrid process was superior to the best idea that emerged from a traditional group model. The researchers divided 44 under- graduate and graduate students into groups of four. They then asked them to think of new student-friendly products for a fictional sports and fit- ness company, employing the hybrid process and the traditional team process separately. Students presented 443 ideas, ranging from an odor- reducing trash can to a water bottle