Attitudes to Food and Eating Behaviour

Question 1

What does the SLT state?

Answer 1

Observation of the behaviour of others influences and models an individuals own attitudes and behaviours towards various things, one being EB

Question 2

Parental modelling is one factor in eating behaviour…

Answer 2

• Children learn attitudes and beliefs from parents
• Attitudes mimicked by children, as food brought into house is controlled by parents
• General link between parents and children attitudes

Question 3

What did Brown and Ogden find regarding parental modelling?

Answer 3

Consistent pos correlation between children and parents regarding snack intake/eating motivation/body dissatisfaction

Question 4

What do the results of Brown and Ogdens study show?

Answer 4

Illustrates the effect observation has on a childs attitude and showing SLT taking place

Question 5

Media is another SLT explanation..what did McIntyre find?

Answer 5

-Media can influence both consumption and attitudes towards certain foods

Question 6

What happens if a media depicts a certain food as bad?

Answer 6

-People may believe they should avoid this food, particularly if put forward by celebrities who people may identify with

Question 7

However, why might media only affect individuals to a certain extent?

Answer 7

Influence is limited by personal circumstances such as age, income or culture.

Question 8

Why might media explanation be deterministic?

Answer 8

Suggests that eating behaviour is somewhat predictable due to preceding, uncontrollable circumstances

Question 9

Meyer and Gast have provided considerable research support for the SLT explanation of eating behaviour..

Answer 9

• Survey of girls/boys aged 10-12 on their EB
• Positive correlation between peer influence and disordered eating
• Likeability of peers was vital element in the influence

Question 10

SLT explanation further supported by Birch and Fisher…

Answer 10

-Best predictor of a childs eating habits was their mothers dietary restraints and perceived risk of their child becoming overweight

Question 11

What do Meyer and Gasts and Birch and Fishers studies show?

Answer 11

Those in the environment held the ability to sway attitudes towards food, giving credit to SLT

Question 12

What is a methodological flaw of research into SLT

Answer 12

• Survey method
• Eating is a sensitive topic
• Over reporting of idealistic results

Question 13

What is a limitation of the media explanation of eating behaviour?

Answer 13

• Focus is explicitly on media, specifically fashion models

- However, it is more than simply social learning

Question 14

SLT explanations tend to focus explicitly on media. However, what is an alternative theory?

Answer 14

• Evolutionists claim that preference for sweet/fatty foods are an evolved adaptation
• Energy rich foods for hunting
• Sweetness helps differentiate toxic foods from safe foods

Question 15

What does the evolutionary explanation suggest about SLT explanation?

Answer 15

May be limited and reductionist, focusing simply on observation of others and ignoring more complex underlying factors

Question 16

What is an alternative explanation for eating behaviour aside from media and parental modelling?

Answer 16

Mood

Question 17

How might mood influence eating behaviour?

Answer 17

• Bulimia sufferers complain of anxiety prior to binge
• Self monitoring studies, 1 hour prior to binging, negative mood state when compared to 1 hour before a meal
• Same findings apply to sub-clinical population

Question 18

Who confirmed the theory that mood may influence eating behaviour?

Answer 18

Garg

Question 19

What occurred in Gargs study?

Answer 19

• 38 participants observed as they watched either sad or upbeat film
• Choice of either seedless grapes or buttered popcorn

Question 20

What were the results of Gargs study?

Answer 20

Sad film - 36% more popcorn than upbeat film.

Upbeat film - signif. more seedless grapes

Question 21

What did Garg conclude?

Answer 21

Depressive mood will cause people to opt for a snack that tastes good (sudden rush of euphoria) rather than offers health benefits
Positive mood - healthy foods to extend positivity

Question 22

Why is there conflicting evidence for the effect of mood on eating behaviour?

Answer 22

• Connection between depressive mood and binging

- Mood drops post-binge, so it is unclear why this might be reinforcing if there is little ‘reward’

Question 23

What does the conflicting evidence for the effect of mood show?

Answer 23

Limits credibility of mood, but does show that moods in eating behaviours can operate both ways

Question 24

What evidence has been found regarding chocolate?

Answer 24

• Many hold view that chocolate is a comfort food
• However, can prolong negative mood
• Has ability to act as slight antidepressant

Question 25

What does evidence regarding chocolate show?

Answer 25

Potential bio influence if people eat things they know will place them in a healthier mood state

Question 26

What is a final limitation of research into attitudes towards food and eating behaviour?

Answer 26

Gender bias - explicit focus on women, rather than attitudes of men

Question 27

How might homosexuality cause body dissatisfaction?

Answer 27

• Signif risk factor for disordered eating
• Gay may subculture promoting the lean, muscular male body
• Feelings they need to conform to this standard

Question 28

What does gender bias reflect overall?

Answer 28

• Contrasting M/F differences
• We cannot construct stereotypical beliefs or general theories based on findings from women
• May lack population validity as only applicable to one gender