key question

Question 1

state the key question

Answer 1

Is the influence of role models and celebrities something that causes anorexia nervosa?

Question 2

define ‘anorexia’

Answer 2

An eating disorder which is characterised by extreme loss of weight and anxiety associated with weight gain.

Question 3

state 4 clinical symptoms of anorexia

Answer 3

• anxiety about gaining weight
• amenorrhea
• weight loss
• body dysmorphia

Question 4

explain why the issue of anorexia is important

Answer 4

• 85% of patients develop anorexia between 13-18 years old
• 20% of the est. 1.6 million people in the UK suffering from anorexia die prematurely
• accommodating this disorder costs the NHS £100 million which is a burden due to number of sufferers

Question 5

why might we expect the media to have an effect on anorexia?

Answer 5

• in industrialised societies, media is more common and having a slim body type is promoted as ideal
• 95% of people own a TV and watch it for 3-4 hours a day where ads about slimming products can be shown regularly

Question 6

define ‘damaging paradox’

Answer 6

one extreme paired with access to the contrasting extreme can create anxiety.

Question 7

how does damaging paradox relate to anorexia?

Answer 7

• media promotes low weight as ideal body type
• at the same time the environment provides foods high in fat and calories, also promoting how good and cheap they are
• putting those two together, the media wants us to be big and small at the same time which creates anxiety

Question 8

how can social learning theory explain the development of anorexia?

Answer 8

• role model/celebrity is praised for being skinny
• media is constantly showing this content
• high self-efficacy and low self-esteem lead to an individual wanting to get the same praise and to be as skinny as the celebrity and so they stop eating
• through vicarious reinforcement of seeing the celebrities praised, and external reinforcement of getting praised by other people in their life saying how much better they look, they keep up the motivation to continue

Question 9

explain how operant conditioning can explain the development of anorexia

Answer 9

• positive reinforcements e.g complimenting how skinny someone is
• punishments e.g bullying someone for being overweight
• continue not eating to avoid being shamed or to receive more validation

Question 10

how do weight loss companies use operant conditioning?

Answer 10

reward every time you lose a certain amount of weight

Question 11

what is a strength of the key question (PEE)?
- supporting evidence

Answer 11

a strength of the key question is the supporting evidence from Owen et al. they found that the ideal body shape has become more thin over 30 years and this has correlated with the rise in anorexia nervosa. therefore, this suggests that the media and models promoting a smaller body type has a direct impact on the diagnosis of anorexia.

Question 12

what is a weakness of the key question (PEE)?
- opposing study

Answer 12

a weakness of the key question is that it is not supported by the research from Eysenck and Flanagan. they found that all young women in the west are subjected to the media, yet only 3-4% develop anorexia. therefore, this suggests that there must be other variables involved such as social setting or bullying

Question 13

what is a strength of the key question (PEE)?
- application

Answer 13

a strength of the key question is that it has applications. for example, if we know that imitating role models can lead to the development of anorexia, pro social models such as plus size influencers/celebs can help to reverse this.