Key Question Flashcards
What is learning theories key question?
Is the influence of role models and celebrities something that causes anorexia?
what is anorexia?
eating disorder that involves severe calorie restriction and often a low body weight.
-this could occur by: not eating, exercising to much or being sick.
-distorted imagining of their body and is most common in women (starts typically in mid teens)
-diagnosed when BMI is below 17.5
who was Carolina Reston?
born to a middle class family in brazil.
began modelling at 13 after a local beauty contest.
started appearing in campaigns such as Amarni.
what happened to Carolina Reston?
in January 2004 she made her first overseas trip to china where she was repeatedly informed that she was ‘too fat’ as a criticism.
it has been said that this let her to her decline into anorexia nervosa.
what was the result of Carolina Reston’s anorexia nervosa?
she died November 2006
weighed just 40kg and had been hospitalised since October 2006 for kidney malfunction due to anorexia and bulimia nervosa, which included a diet consisting only of apples and tomatoes.
she has a BMI of 14.1, well below the index value of 16 which the world health organsatipn considers to be severe thiness.
how does operant conditioning explain key question?
-through reinforcement and punishment.
-if losing weight leads to compliments or social approval (positive reinforcement) or helps avoid criticism about body side (negative reinforcement), individuals are more likely to continue restrictive eating or excessive exercise.
-gaining weight may result in negative comments (punishment), discouraging normal eating.
-overtime this reinforcement cycle can contribute to disordered eating behaviours.
how does social learning theory explain key question?
-through observation, imitation and vicarious reinforcement.
-individuals, especially in young people may observe celebrities or influencers being praised for their thinness and internalise the idea that being slim leads to social approval,.
-if they see role models engaging in restrictive eating or excessive exercise and receiving admiration (vicarious reinforcement(), they may imitate these behaviours in an attempt to achieve similar rewards.
- this process is strengthened if the role model is perceived as attractive, successful or relatable.
how does bandura explain key question?
-through observation, imitation and vicarious reinforcement.
-individuals learn behaviours by watching others, especially those they admire.
-if celebs or influencers are praised for their thinness, young people may imitate their dieting or excessive exercise to gain similar approval
-this is reinforced, if they see role models receiving social rewards ( compliments) for their appearance.
-factors like attention, retention, reproduction and motivation influence whether the behaviour is copied.
how does classical conditioning explain key question?
-explains the influence or role models on anorexia by associating thinness with admiration and success.
-if celebs are praised for being slim (unconditioned stimulus) it elicits desirability (UCR)
- repeated exposure pairs thinness (NS) with this praise, making it a conditioned stimulus that triggers a drive for weight loss (CR)
overtime, this learned association may contribute to disordered eating.
why is the key question important in general?
anorexia costs the NHS money to treat the disorder so trying to prevent anorexia would save money and prevent additional pressure on the NHS.
why is the key question important for society?
symptoms of anorexia could lead to sufferers not working and this affects society as a whole.
