5.4 - Key Question

Question 1

What is the key question?

Answer 1

Are role models in the media to blame for the rise in anorexia?

Question 2

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Answer 2

• Anorexia is defined as a nervous loss of appetite, although there is actually no loss of appetite in many cases.
• Anorexia is an eating disorder which is stated by the DSM-5 as occurring in 0.5-1% of females in adolescence and early childhood.
• 90% of cases are seen in females with onset being aged 13 to 18.
• Onset of the disorder appears to coincide with a significant life stressor such as starting university or leaving home.
• A symptom of anorexia is a restriction of energy (Criterion A) which results in body weight being much lower than expected; 15% or lower than normal BMI.
• Criterion B describes an intense fear of gaining weight/taking up persistent behaviour to prevent weight gain such as excessive exercise.
• The media is an important aspect of our life in our culture, with 95% of people owning a TV and watching it for an average of 3-4 hours per day

Question 3

Why is AN an issue for society?

Answer 3

THIS IS AN ISSUE FOR SOCIETY BECAUSE only 20% of people with anorexia recover and most require long term care and 25% are hospitalised. Therefore there is a huge cost to the NH S as it is a chronic illness that needs long term care, which includes weekly counselling. This diverts research sources on other health services at a time when the hell mental health budget is reduced

Question 4

AO3 - Role models are to blame…

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Answer 4

• Becker (2002) study found that in Fiji, before TV was introduced, girls were unlikely to be concerned with diet and slimming, but after TV was introduced there was evidence that they were more conscious of their body image and diet. Therefore, this explains that the media has a significant influence on the body image that girls find desirable and exposure to western media causes an emphasis on slimness as a desirable goal
• Bandura found that people imitate and are more likely to copy behaviour of the same sex model. Therefore, this explains that if the media is showing role models that are thin and female, girls at a vulnerable age of 13-18 will lose weight in an attempt to look like their role models
• Mumford found that Arab and Asian women who moved to western cultures had a higher incidence of anorexia. Therefore this explains that cultural pressures by the media are to blame as the media has an emphasis on dieting and female slimness which is not found in their countries of origin, so when they moved to the West and their role models are different explains why the incidents of anorexia increases
• in addition Li found anorexia among Chinese people in Hong Kong increased as the region became more westernised. Therefore this explains that as people in Hong Kong became exposed to western media their opinion on ideal body shape changed and caused an increase in anorexia
• social learning theory suggests that people who are perceived as similar with prestige, power and attractiveness are more likely to be imitated. Therefore as the trend in zero size models has increased, this explains why the number of cases of anorexia have also increased

Question 5

AO3 - However…

Answer 5

• however banduras study used children aged 3 to 6, observing their aggression towards a bobo doll. Therefore the findings may not be generalizable to teenagers and anorexia which is a far more complex behaviour
• however this may not be that the incidence of anorexia is something that is related to the media and the rise in the number of cases diagnosed is due to more acceptance of the disorder whereas previously the low levels may have simply have been a result of underdiagnosis
• however only around 1% of the population developed anorexia whereas all teenage girls are exposed to the same media and skinny role models. Therefore there must be other factors involved and it doesn’t explain why the percentages so low
• girls are motivated to diet in order to achieve the slimness of their role models as they receive compliments for looking good however this doesn’t explain why dieting continues after the point in which they stop receiving compliments and become anorexic. Therefore whilst social learning theory can explain why they developed the disorder, it doesn’t explain why it continues

Question 6

In conclusion…

Answer 6

role models in the media do have an influence and could be responsible for the increase in anorexia over the last couple of decades. However there must be other factors causing the disorder such as genetics where someone may inherit a malfunctioning hypothalamus