Cognitive Explanation for Anorexia

Question 1

Cognitive A01 for AN

Answer 1

Distorted perception of body weight and shape is the key cognitive issue.
Gadsby explained this in terms of a distorted body schema. This schema is central to our self-image but AN distorts it to make us seem larger than we actually are.

They also suffer from irrational beliefs, with one being catastrophising, where the worst possible outcomes of even the smallest events are considered, such as ‘I ate a biscuit today, I have no willpower

Enhanced local processing, meaning they overfocus on flaws, however, those w AN have impaired global processing, meaning that they find it difficult to ee ‘the bigger picture’, such as the perception of their overall body shape

Question 2

Cognitive Explan. for AN Eval.

Answer 2

Strength

• Sachdev (2008) used fmRI Scans on AN and non-AN controls. WHen shown images of others bodies, the same brain areas were active. When shown their own, AN patients had less activation in areas thought to be linked with attention. This supports Gadsbys theory that cognitive distortion is limited to our own bodies in AN
• Guardia (2012). 25 AN 25 non-an controls. Mean percieved-passability ratios, the point at which they estimated they could pass trhougha door without turning sideways, was significantly higher in the 1st Person condition for AN patients than the controls (1.3 to 1.1), suggesting that they do perceive themselves larger than they actually are

Weaknesses
- Could be an outcome of AN, not a cause. Lang et al. (2016) found no difference between recovered AN ppts. and non-AN controls on the ROCFT, a measure of cognitive processing. Concluded that weak central coherence could be a result of starvation from AN, not a cause, hence why it deceases after recovery

• Cornelissen (2013) compared AN and non-AN controls on a task involving adjusting an image of themselves until it matched their own body. Found no difference in accuracy