4/ Eating Behaviours - Psychological explanations for anorexia

Question 1

what are the three different psychological explanations I need to know?

Answer 1

1. social learning theory
2. cognitive theory
3. family systems theory

Question 2

how is social learning theory related to anorexia?

Answer 2

anorexia is a learned condition that arises from observing role models of their behaviour in relation to eating. Also behaviour may be reinforced if they see behaviour be reinforced by fame, beauty, positive attention or any form of attention.

Question 3

give an example of a situation with a mother of how anorexia can occur.

Answer 3

girl sees mother dieting a losing weight, she sees mother’s friends say she looks great (vicarious reinforcement). girl imitates mother and diets herself, if directly reinforced then she will continue to eat less.

Question 4

how can media in social learning theory effect anorexia?

Answer 4

media communicates the idea of being thin is desirable through music videos, magazines, films ect. - see the as role models.

Question 5

what research has indicted mothers as important role models?

Answer 5

-studies found similarities in dieting and food restraints in mothers and daughters.

Question 6

what research challenges the idea that mothers modelling have an effect on their children getting anorexia?

Answer 6

-studies found no evidence - no links between mother and daughter in terms of restrained eating and body dissatisfaction.

Question 7

what research is there to support the role of media in anorexia?

Answer 7

natural experiment in Fiji before and after the introduction of tv, girls increased a desire to lose weight and be more like the media characters they saw. anorexia had increased by 16%.

Question 8

what is a major problem with SLT explaining anorexia?

Answer 8

cannot explain why anorexia is not as common. if so many cultures are exposed to this media message why do we not all develop anorexia.

Question 9

what is meant by the cognitive theory for anorexia?

Answer 9

the thought and beliefs of an individual become distorted and irrational - a schema that interprets info in a way that is not reflective of the reality that others share. - leads to emotional distress - leads to dangerous levels of weight loss.

Question 10

what are the two types of distorted thoughts in the cognitive theory for anorexia?

Answer 10

1. distorted body perceptions
2. distorted thoughts about food.
   e. g. individual thinks they are fat and ugly (1) so they must avoid food altogether (2)

Question 11

what is meant by irrational beliefs for the cognitive theory for anorexia?

Answer 11

beliefs that are illogical - if they don’t control their weight they are worthless.
also perfectionist thinking - need to meet the highest and most demanding aspects in terms of weight - always setting new goals.

Question 12

what is another example of an irrational belief?

Answer 12

cognitive inflexibility - unable to change belief when circumstances change - e.g. constantly believe they need to loose weight even if they reach their goal.

Question 13

what research is there to support that anorexic patients have cognitive distortions about body size?

Answer 13

asked 37 people with anorexia to estimate their current body size and ideal body shape. compared to a control group anorexic patients estimates were significantly less.

Question 14

what research supports the idea that anorexic patients are perfectionists?

Answer 14

728 women with anorexia completed questionnaire that assessed anorexia symptoms and perfectionism in childhood. found positive correlation.

Question 15

what evidence challenges the idea anorexic patients have cognitive distortions about their body size?

Answer 15

study assessed anorectics and healthy patients and there was NO difference in the estimations of body sizes.

Question 16

in the cognitive theory what research suggests that distortion is limited to perceptions of their own body and not other?

Answer 16

fMRI scan -showed healthy group and anorectics had same activity when showed pictures of others bodies. when shown picture of their own anorectics had much less activity in brain. cognitive theory can’t explain this - oversimplifies the approach.

Question 17

what practical applications has the cognitive approach to anorexia given us?

Answer 17

CBT - deals with irrational and distorted thoughts in anorexia.

Question 18

what approach is the family systems theory from?

Answer 18

psychodynamic - explains anorexia as being the product of a certain type of family.

Question 19

what does the family systems theory focus most on?

Answer 19

mother and daughter relationships that considers issues with enmeshment, autonomy and control.

Question 20

what is by enmeshment in the FST?

Answer 20

refuses to eat as a way of establishing a distinct self because parents don’t give child privacy or independence, self identity becomes blurred with those in the family.

Question 21

what is meant by autonomy in the FST?

Answer 21

means the freedom to make decisions without influence from the family. - in a enmeshed family children are NOT allowed to make their own decisions.

Question 22

therefore in FST, anorexia is perceived as a way to gain…

Answer 22

autonomy anf control and establish a sense of managing their own life. - creates them into an independent person.

Question 23

what evidence is there to support FST? 1

Answer 23

research compared families of people with anorexia and not. findings: families of people with anorexia were most enmeshed and over-protective.

Question 24

what evidence is there to support FST? 2

Answer 24

compared female patients with anorexia and a control group. females with anorexia had a significantly greater desire to be autonomous than control group.

Question 25

what evidence is there to challenge the idea of FST?

Answer 25

found families of anorectics were no more enmeshed than families of non anorectics. therefore doesn’t have any cause or effect, does E, A, C cause anorexia or vice versa.

Question 26

what practical applications has the FST created?

Answer 26

behavioural family systems therapy has been successful in treating anorexia through working with the whole family.