Becker's Study- Contemporary Flashcards
What was the aim of the study?
To investigate the effect of prolonged exposure of television on attitudes towards eating and eating behaviours in Fijian adolescent girls.
What type of experiment was used?
Naturalistic experiment and multi wave cross sectional study (repeated twice on two sets of people)
What were the two samples from the study?
-63 adolescent girls in 1995, 3 weeks after TV was introduced.
-65 adolescent girls in 1998, three years after TV was introduced.
What was the procedure of the study?
-All girls do EAT-26 survey investigating binging and purging.
-20 was classed as a high score.
-Questions about body image and dieting.
-Weight and height measured.
What was the difference between the procedure in 1995 and 1998?
In 1998 the parents were also asked questions about dieting and body image.
30 girls who reported binging and purging did a semi-structured interview.
What was the results of the study?
-Percent of people who had a TV increased from 41.37% to 70.8% between 1995 and 1998.
-EAT-26 above 20 increased from 8 to 19 girls.
-77% reported TV influenced their body image.
What was the conclusion of the study?
There was a relationship between disordered eating and TV exposure.
Why is the study not generalisable?
-Sample is gynocentric
-Ethnocentric sample- all from Fiji.
How is the study relaible?
All did same EAT-26 questionnaire so standardised.
How is the study not relaible?
In 1998 only 30 girls did semi-structured interview so not standardised.
How is the study applicable to real life?
Can be used to promote a wide range of role models in the media as we know the effect media has on disordered eating so can change it.
How is the study valid?
-Questionnaire gathers quantitative data so easier to analyse.
How is the study not valid?
-Socially sensitive topic so may lie on questionnaire and can’t see if the IV effects the DV.
How is the study not eithical?
-No protection from harm as questionnaire is psychologically distressing and may make behaviour worse.
