Evaluating Subconscious Response to University Food Pantry Outreach Using EEG & Eye-tracking

Abstract

Food insecurity, a serious condition where people have uncertain access to nutritious food, severely threatens one’s quality of life. In 2020 alone, 60 million Americans relied on food assistance, with college students disproportionately affected. Approximately 3.9 million undergraduate and 400,000 graduate students experienced food insecurity at a rate more than double of the food insecurity rate among American households in 2020. In response, nearly half of all college pantries have opened in the last five years, yet barriers to access still exist. While improvements in outreach have raised awareness, the psychological impact of language in pantry communications remains unexplored. Traditional methods for evaluating service effectiveness often rely on surveys or focus groups, neglecting unconscious emotional responses and attention that shape students' perceptions of seeking food assistance. This study bridges the gap by employing electroencephalography (EEG) and eye-tracking technologies to measure students’ neural and visual behavioral responses to language framed in neutral, empathetic, and stigmatizing tones. By identifying words that increase engagement or unintentionally reinforce stigma, this research provides evidence-based guidelines for pantries to reduce psychological barriers to pantry use, incorporate language that aligns with student expectations, and reposition outreach material and messages to attract students in need.

Keywords: college food insecurity, eye-tracking, electroencephalography (EEG), attention

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006888