Way to a Man's Alimony

If a man is hungry enough he will eat anything in sight, but in times of plenty the choice between foods is often made on the basis of their emotional values, Dr. William Kaufman told psychologists at the American Association for the Advancement of Science meetings in St. Louis last week. A Bridgeport (Conn.) general practitioner, Dr. Kaufman has classified some special food compulsions he found in 1,200 of his own patients. Among the Kaufman classifications:

P: Security foods, such as milk and milk products, to which some of his patients turned when under stress.

P: Reward foods (chocolate, candy, hot dogs, nuts), on which some gorged when they felt sorry for themselves.

P: Fetish foods for health and strength--highly advertised breakfast cereals for children, Ovaltine for insomniac adults, red meat and potatoes for laborers.

P: Grown-up foods (coffee, tea, beer), which were forbidden in childhood, so that lavish use of them may reassure an individual of his adulthood.

P: Prestige foods (caviar, truffles, expensive but smelly cheeses, vintage wines), often bought in large part for their snob appeal.

"Sometimes," said Dr. Kaufman, "a woman who resents her husband serves him none of the foods he enjoys. If her resentment reaches intense hatred, meat is scorched, bread is stale, vegetables are cold and soggy. The husband begins his retaliation by criticizing her food, and ends by paying her alimony.

"Women who envy the interesting time that men have at work often exaggerate their own kitchen martyrdom ... to gain concessions and rewards. I know one woman who, on such a basis, got herself an extra television set, a fur coat, a small car and a separate bedroom--some husbands will do anything to insure their continuing to get a hot, home-cooked meal."

Food can be used to express emotions as well as to satisfy them, said Dr. Kaufman. If a guest insists "I can't possibly eat all that," he may mean just what he says, but he can also mean "I don't enjoy your company--you've taken my appetite away." Some day, Kaufman hopes, psychologists will take meals with their patients, to find out from what they eat what's eating them.

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