Psychological explanations of anorexia
Discuss psychological explanations of any one eating disorder (24)
Anorexia has been found in all countries but the frequency of the disorder increases with the levels of Western influence in society. Hoek et al found that white Caribbean’s had higher rates of anorexia than black Caribbean’s, presumably because the white population aspired to a more Western lifestyle than the black population. It can be concluded that socio-cultural factors can help explain anorexia.
Social learning theory helps to explain how the media plays a large part in the shaping people’s views on what is and isn’t attractive and therefore in the development of anorexia. Young people observe the looks and behaviours of celebrities. They are always bombarded by the media with pictures of skinny celebrities wearing clothes that complement their small frame. These are then added to their mental representation of ‘beauty’. They then observe the consequences of being thin and learn vicariously the being thin brings rewards, such as fame and money in relation to celebrities. Therefore they imitate the celebrities they aspire to look like, often involving excessive dieting. This weight loss may be complimented by others, which will act as a reward which positively reinforces the dieting behaviour.
There is a great deal of evidence to support theories of the media’s contribution to the development of anorexia. Groesz et al conducted a meta-review of 25 studies and came to the conclusion that body dissatisfaction increased significantly after exposure to media images of thin women, implying the media’s role of the development of anorexia. Further support comes from studies carried out in Fiji. It was found that levels of anorexia increased after the introduction of TV, clearly showing that Western influences have an impact on the development of anorexia. The naturalistic nature of the study gives us confidence that media influences can help to explain anorexia in the real world.
An important
Anorexia has been found in all countries but the frequency of the disorder increases with the levels of Western influence in society. Hoek et al found that white Caribbean’s had higher rates of anorexia than black Caribbean’s, presumably because the white population aspired to a more Western lifestyle than the black population. It can be concluded that socio-cultural factors can help explain anorexia.
Social learning theory helps to explain how the media plays a large part in the shaping people’s views on what is and isn’t attractive and therefore in the development of anorexia. Young people observe the looks and behaviours of celebrities. They are always bombarded by the media with pictures of skinny celebrities wearing clothes that complement their small frame. These are then added to their mental representation of ‘beauty’. They then observe the consequences of being thin and learn vicariously the being thin brings rewards, such as fame and money in relation to celebrities. Therefore they imitate the celebrities they aspire to look like, often involving excessive dieting. This weight loss may be complimented by others, which will act as a reward which positively reinforces the dieting behaviour.
There is a great deal of evidence to support theories of the media’s contribution to the development of anorexia. Groesz et al conducted a meta-review of 25 studies and came to the conclusion that body dissatisfaction increased significantly after exposure to media images of thin women, implying the media’s role of the development of anorexia. Further support comes from studies carried out in Fiji. It was found that levels of anorexia increased after the introduction of TV, clearly showing that Western influences have an impact on the development of anorexia. The naturalistic nature of the study gives us confidence that media influences can help to explain anorexia in the real world.
An important