AN- One non-biological explanation Flashcards
How does the Learning approach explain AN?
People learn how to be anorexic due to environmental influences
- It could have developed due to rewards and punishments from the environment
- Individuals are rewarded for being slim and losing weight as in todays Western society models and pop stars are mostly very slim and these people are very influential in the development of social norms regarding appearance
- Indicidual symptoms include fear of food - classical conditioning
What is the Western culture view on body appearance and how is it related to AN?
The Western cultures have a hyper focus on dieting and body appearance. Digitally retouched photos are the norm and body dissatisfaction is more pronounced in affluent countries where people lead a lifestyle more characterised by high levels of individualism and consumption. In these countries, people may experience greater pressures to conform to the “ideal body” due to having greater access to body centres information and images through media.
What did Ordaz et al discover about thinness pressures between White women and Black women?
Research from the US found that the strongest sources of thinness pressures for White women are from the media, peers and family whereas for Black women, peer attitudes and family pressures are more pronounced
What did Swami et al say about self esteem and body image?
One study which examined whether there were differences in positive body image among British female undergraduates of different ethnicities, Found that Hispanic female undergraduates reported the lowest score on media influence and the highest score on self esteems, the authors proposed that high self esteem could serve as a protective factor against media influence in this group
How do role models have an influence of people with AN? (SLT)
Female celebrities, same gender, age and status
Family members may have AN as well
Where do we pay attention in AN? (SLT)
Always in the media, magazines, tweets, Instagram etc
When does retention happen in AN? (SLT)
Repeated exposure- visually remember, verbally remember
How is there Vicariously reinforcement/ punishment for celebrities in the media which affects AN? (SLT)
celebrities who have gained weight are punished in the media, so the observer may want to avoid that punishment. The “slimmness ideal” is learned through the media. Celebrities receive fame, fortune, likes etc for promoting slimness ideals
How does self efficacy relate to AN? (SLT)
Easy to follow diets and affordable
How does self esteem relate to AN? (SLT)
Those with low self esteem about their body images, perhaps from previous direct punishment, will be more likely to imitate anorexic behaviours
What motor production is linked to AN?
Imitate behaviour of restricting diet, extreme exercising/ meal replacements/ substitutes
What positive reinforcement is linked with AN? (OC)
Continuing admiration is reinforcing, more weight loss, more admiration. Extreme weight loss gets attention and concern which is also rewarding. All this increases the likelihood of them striving to lose weight.
How does negative reinforcement links to AN (OC)??
Avoiding food (now the feared stimulus) means avoiding fearful feelings. Or, avoiding food leads to positive feelings that they do not gain weight.
How does classical conditioning link to AN??
The fear of gaining weight is paired with eating and a classically conditioned anxiety response develops
Next time the person has food they will feel anxious and in order to reduce the anxiety they will avoid eating
How does the behavioural approach explain AN?
Explains gender differences as females more influences by media models
Though the male “thin” stereotype is increasing as is anorexia in males
