Researchers in Germany published a study this month on something near and dear to American hearts: mindless eating in front of glowing screens.

The Guardian reports on what must have been a fun study, in which researchers invited 96 people to a movie that featured advertisements beforehand. Half of the study participants were given popcorn, and half were given a single sugar cube to eat. After the screening, the researchers tested everyone to see how they reacted to the advertisements at the beginning of the movie. The results? Those given sugar showed positive responses to the ads, while the popcorn-munchers were apparently unaffected.

Does popcorn have magical powers heretofore unexplored? Not quite. The theory goes that ads work in part because humans are compelled to practice the name of a new product when they are first introduced to it by subtly and silently mimicking the product's pronunciation. Eating mouthful after mouthful of popcorn interrupts that practice. And if people don't practice pronouncing the name of a new product, that name will have a hard time getting imprinted on their brains. Yes, every snack-counter decision can be boiled down to a choice between perpetuating America's obesity crisis or falling into the grip of subliminal messaging.

One researcher wondered how the study would affect snack sales at movie houses, remarking, "This finding suggests that selling candy in cinemas actually undermines advertising effects, which contradicts present marketing strategies. In the future, when promoting a novel brand, advertising clients might consider trying to prevent candy being sold before the main movie."

They might not go that far. But we might as well give up hope for lower snack prices.

[image via AP]