Key question: Is the influence of role models + celebrities something that causes anorexia?

Question 1

What is anorexia nervosa?

Answer 1

An eating disorder formed when someone refuses to eat a good amount of food + is unable to maintain minimal weight for their BMI

Question 2

When using the DSM 5 criteria, what 3 symptoms should be displayed?

Answer 2

• Restriction of energy intake (limiting what they eat)
• Fear of weight gain/interfering behaviours (fear of gaining weight so engage in behaviours preventing them gaining weight)
• Disturbed experience of body weight/shape (Cognitive element - Weight has huge influence on self evaluation + fail to realise how low body weight us)

Question 3

What are some anorexia symptoms?

Answer 3

• Anxiety/excessive fear
• Weight (weight loss considered abnormal when below 85% normal weight)
• Body image distortion
• Amenorrhoea (absence of periods caused by inadequate nutrition)

Question 4

What is the typical age of onset for anorexia?

Answer 4

90% of sufferers are 12-29 years old

Affects 1 in 200 adolescents

Question 5

What is the gender split for anorexia?

Answer 5

90% of sufferers are females + male rates have been rising

Question 6

How would the SLT apply to anorexia?

Answer 6

Attention = Observer pays attention to celebrity being skinny

Retention = Observer recalls/stores mental image of celeb role model being skinny

Reproduction = Reducing diet, exercising more, etc to imitate behaviour/body of role model celeb

Motivation = Observer motivated to lose weight so they get role models body shape as reward

Question 7

How does operant conditioning explain how social media + TV can contribute to symptoms of anorexia?

Answer 7

Negative reinforcement = Seeing focus on obseity crisis on media can lead to wanting to be skinny to avoid being criticised

Negative punishment = Removing food to decrease likelihood of gaining weight

Question 8

Give examples of research to support key question: (AO3)

Answer 8

• Barlow + Durrand (1995) = Found over half Miss America contestants were 15%+ below body weight
• Schwartz, Thompson, Johnson (1982) = Found weight of Miss America contestants decreased on average over 20 yr period

Question 9

Give research that criticises key question: (AO3)

Answer 9

• Eysenck + Flanagan (2000) = Pointed out all young women exposed to media but only 3-4% develop ED
• Garner + Garfinkel (1980) = Anorexia more common in dance/modelling students since normal for their size to be smaller

Question 10

What are some alternative explanations? AO3

Answer 10

• Psychodynamic approach = Adolescents dont want to move into adult sexual roles so starve to keep child-like frame
• Biological explanation= Low serotonin levels cause higher anxiety, triggering anorexia

Question 11

How do the learning theories contribute to therapy for anorexia?

Answer 11

Operant conditioning: Positive reinforcement - Give reward to increase likelihood of eating adequate meals

SLT: Observe body positive role models

Question 12

What is the conclusion?

Answer 12

Multiple approaches explain anorexia, including operant conditioning and SLT

We should display celebs of all sizes within media so isnt just 1 ideal body type