EATING BEHAVIOUR Anorexia NervosaUnit PSYA3Miss Bird

WHAT WILL WE COVER IN THIS TOPIC?

 Eating

behaviour

Factors influencing attitudes to food and eating behaviour. For example: cultural influences; psychological influences (mood); and social influences (health concerns/media).  Explanations for the success and failure of dieting. 

Biological explanations

of eating behaviour

Neural mechanisms involved in controlling eating behaviour. Evolutionary explanations of food preference. 

 Eating

disorders

In relation to either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa: Psychological explanations. Biological explanations, including neural and evolutionary explanations. 

What we have covered Where we are now

STARTERIn pairs, discuss and write down answers to the following questions.

1. What is anorexia nervosa?2. Can you identify any other types of eating disorder?3. What are the clinical characteristics used to diagnose an

individual with anorexia?4. Can you identify any famous celebrities that have suffered

from anorexia?

You have 5 minutes!

WHAT IS ANOREXIA NERVOSA?• Eating disorder – obsessed with losing

weight through self-starvation (emaciation)

• Anorexia nervosa means ‘nervous loss of appetite.’

• 90% of cases are female although AN is increasing in males.

• Typical age of onset is between 13-18.• Three main clinical characteristics

identified for diagnosis of AN.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN

A: Restriction of energy intake relative to requirements leading to a significantly low body weight in the context of age, sex, developmental and physical health.

Significantly low weight is defined as a weight that is less than minimally normal, or, for children and adolescents, less than that minimally expected.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF AN

B: Intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat or persistent behaviour that interferes with weight gain (e.g. use of laxatives, excessive exercise, carefully weighing out and portioning food), even though at a significantly low weight.

CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANC: Disturbance in the way in which one’s body weight or shape is perceived, or a persistent lack of recognition of the seriousness of the current low body weight.

Body-image distortion.

CELEBRITIES WITH AN

PSYCHOLOGICAL EXPLANATIONS OF AN

1. Behaviourist2. Psychodynamic3. Cognitive

TASK: In pairs, think of as many key terms from these 3 explanations as possible and list in your booklet.

EXTENSION TASK: apply your K&U of these approaches to the development of AN.

INDEPENDENT TASKReview of behaviourist approach (i.e. Learning)

Using your psychological K&U answer the 7 questions in your booklet.

Class discussion.

CULTURAL IDEALS WESTERN CULTURES

The emphasis on ‘thinness’ being ‘ideal’ in Western cultures can contribute to the development of AN.

Suggested AN is a learned behaviour in response to cultural ‘ideals’ and that dieting is ‘normal’ in Western cultures.

Studies have reported that many teenagers, especially girls, are dissatisfied with their weight and have a distorted body image.

Gregory et al (2000) – survey, 16% of 15-18 year old girls in the UK said they were ‘on a diet.’

ROLE OF THE MEDIAWESTERN CULTURES

SLT suggests that people observe and imitate people they admire (i.e. role models such as parents, peers, and celebrities). In Western cultures there is a heavy emphasis on ‘thinness’ in the media - ‘slim is beautiful.’ Young women observe female role models in the media being positively rewarded for being extremely thin and attractive; gaining social approval and media attention. These women pay attention to these role models and form a mental representation that they will receive a similar reward if they copy the same behaviour (vicarious learning). Thus they imitate role models with the expectation of reinforcement. This can lead to the development of AN.

SUPPORTING RESEARCH EVIDENCESLT AND AN

Alberge (1999)

Found a high incidence of anorexia in ballet dancers and models – supporting the influence of the media and SLT in the development of AN (the pressure to be slim).

Fearn (1999)

Reported an increase in eating disorders in Fiji following the introduction of American TV programmers which emphasized a westernised, idealised body shape (i.e. thin, ‘size 0’) – provides support for role of media and SLT in the development of AN.

P.E.E.L (A02) P: There is research evidence to support the

behaviourist approach in explaining the development of anorexia nervosa, especially in terms of SLT which suggests eating behaviour can be influenced by the observation and imitation of influential role models.

E: Research by _____________ has shown...

E: This suggests/shows...

L: This supporting research evidence by _____________ suggests that SLT is a valid psychological explanation of the development of anorexia nervosa.

CONTRADICTORY RESEARCH

Hoek et al (1998)

• Examined if AN IS rare in non-western cultures where there is no emphasis on ‘thinness’ being ‘ideal.’

• Examined records of over 44,000 patients admitted to hospital over a two-year period in Curacao (non-westernised Caribbean island).

• In this culture it is acceptable to be overweight.• They found 6 cases of AN that they claimed was within the range of

rates reported in western cultures.• Evidence of AN in non-western cultures even when the cultural ideals

are not focused on ‘thinness.’• Therefore suggests that AN is not learned through

observation and imitation of influential role models and suggests other factors play a role e.g. genetics/biochemistry/cognition.

EVALUATIONSLT - LIMITED

Although the influence of the media may explain why some eating disorders are maintained once they are established, it doesn’t explain why some people develop AN and others do not, even though we are all exposed to the same images.

Individual differences

Jones and Buckingham (2005) – Individuals with low self-esteem are more likely to compare themselves to the idealised images in the media.

Personality traits could play a role in the development of AN.

EVALUATION (A02)Complete the evaluation points in your booklets.

1. One strength of the behaviourist explanation is that it can explain gender differences in anorexia. This is because…

2. Another strength of the behaviourist explanation of AN is that is has supporting research evidence, suggesting that it is a valid explanation of the eating disorder. For example...

3. A weakness of the behaviourist explanation is that there is research evidence against it, suggesting it is not a valid explanation of anorexia. For example…

INDEPENDENT TASKComplete the gap fill exercise in your booklet on the psychodynamic explanation of AN by Freud and Bruch.

You have 5 minutes.

Be prepared to feedback to the class.

EVALUATION (A02) - FREUD

Difficult to falsify

Based on abstract concepts (e.g. psychosexual stages, fixation, repression). Difficult to prove wrong. Very little research evidence to support psychodynamic explanation. Limits validity of explanation for AN.

EVALUATION (A02) - FREUDGender biased

Freud’s explanation of AN suggests the idea of avoiding adult sexuality by stopping menstruation (thus preventing possible pregnancy).

However, this explanation has difficulty explaining the development of AN in older women (menopause) and CANNOT explain AN in men!

This therefore questions the validity of the psychodynamic approach as an explanation for AN.

INDEPENDENT TASKRead the cognitive explanation of

AN in your booklets.

Class discussion.

EVALUATION (A02)SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

Cooper and Turner (2000)• Looked at emotional aspects of body self-

perception in anorexic patients using a standard questionnaire.

• Found anorexics reported more negative beliefs about themselves than dieters/control PTs.

• Anorexics were also more likely to believe that acceptance from others was conditional/dependent on body type.

• Suggests cognitive distortion/bias plays a role in development of AN indicating valid explanation.

EVALUATION (A02)

Complete the gap-fill evaluation in your booklets of the cognitive explanation of AN.

PAIR TASKIDA (A02: EVALUATION)

In pairs, apply relevant IDA to the psychological explanations of AN.

Write your ideas down in the box on your worksheet.

You have 10 minutes.

IDA TO CONSIDERMethodological issues.Ethical issues. Gender bias.Culture bias.Determinism vs. Free Will.Nature vs. Nurture.Different approaches.

IDAMethodological – samples studied are mainly AN patients that have been clinically diagnosed – what about those that haven’t that don’t quite meet all 4 criteria?

Ethical – researchers use Internet Communities as a source of qualitative data e.g. discussion boards and chat-rooms for individuals with AN. What about privacy, informed consent and confidentiality?

Gender bias – much of the research into AN has focused primarily on females, although AN is increasing in males. Can the findings be generalised?

Culture bias – much of the research has focused on AN in western cultures, can findings be generalised? Evidence of AN across all cultures regardless of their ‘ideals.’

IDADeterminism vs. Free Will – Could be argued that AN is determined by external forces outside of our control (i.e. the environment – media/culture). However, all exposed to media yet don’t all develop AN – suggests some free will over eating behaviour and who to look to as role model?

Nature vs. Nurture – psychological explanations provide support for the role of nurture in development of AN (childhood/media/culture). Ignores nature side: biological explanations e.g. role of neurotransmitters (serotonin).

Approaches – behaviourist (learned through exposure to media and culture, SLT), and psychodynamic (childhood).

CONSOLIDATION TASK

Read the list of 10 statements in your booklet.

Decide if they belong to the psychodynamic approach (Freud or Bruch), behaviourist approach, or cognitive approach.