Our behavior is also to an extent a reflection of how those around us act. According to to social learning theory, we learn from observing how others act. It has been found that actions that are rewarded are the most easily learned. 

Food is a commodity that is often the center of social occasions, thus social pressure play a part in the food consumption patterns of people. Within the affluent context of Singapore, food is abundant and readily available and therefore served on many social occasions. Without prudent planning, those preparing tend to be susceptible to social pressure and over-order, thus creating a great wastage of food.  

Historically, resources were scarce and hence an abundance of food is seen as a sign of prosperity. As food is no longer scarce today, a shift in mindset is needed to preserve sustainability.

Need for positive regard from others

Socially, one learns from others how to behave when it comes to dealing with food, from examples set by others and the observed reward. Social pressure drives us to act in ways that elicit positive regard from others, stemming from the human need for acceptance. The current culture is so that many socially desirable behavior encourage food-wasting behaviors.

Serving large portions of food is linked to hospitability. Hosts tend to serve more than enough food to guests to be perceived as generous and hospitable. In restaurants, dishes are sold in large portions to make customers feel that the premium they paid for the food is worth their money. Food retailers keep their front shelves and a back inventory full of produce so their stores will look full and welcoming, also giving buyers the illusion of having fresher goods on their shelves. Un-aesthetic raw produce is eliminated so as to keep their shelves looking neat and chipper. Garnishing is also used to make food look presentable. Most of the extra ‘prop’ food is left unconsumed, then discarded afterward.

When socializing, people tend to order food they don’t want to or will not eat, simply to humor whichever peers they are hanging out with and not look like the odd one out. For instance, drinks and desserts in a social setting are some of the most common ‘humor’ foods caught and wasted in between the socializing activities of people. 

At home, families also tend to stock up their pantries and prepare more than enough food for meals as the caregivers want to be regarded as a responsible and capable in their job, and able to keep the members of the family well-fed.

Learned helplesness

However, there are still individuals in the society who want to reduce food waste and actually practice it. This group of individuals can exert a certian social pressure on those who do not make an effort and persuade them to change. In that case, why is peer pressure from the willing not stong enough to influence change in others? It could very well be due to learned helplessness.

Learned helplessness occurs when one feels that he has no influence over the situation, because he has learned from previous experience has shown him that he has no control over the process or the outcome of the situation. In this case, a mindful individual might have asked someone around him to not waste food, only to be met with aggression, nonchalance or rationalizing excuses. Repeat a few times with the same response, the individual would eventually give up in convincing others follow his example and advice on not wasting food. He has learnt that others’ will not change and now keeps quiet about it.