Key Question

Question 1

What is the Learning Theories key question?

Answer 1

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

Question 2

What are the 4 AO1 points for your answer to the key question?

Answer 2

Anorexia - someone refusing to eat properly, if at all

Physical symptoms - being extremely underweight (BMI < 18)

Cognitive symptoms - being excessively thin but still seeing yourself as overweight

Emotional & behavioural symptoms:
+ Losing interest in socialising
+ Tiredness
+ Coldness
+ Stomach pain
+ No menstruation

Question 3

What are 4 statistics for eating disorders/anorexia?

Answer 3

Eating disorders affect at least 9% of the population worldwide

Around 608,000-725,000 anorexics in the UK

95% of people with an eating disorder are aged between 12 to 29 years old

The prevalence is a lot higher in females (90%) and most are from Western countries

Question 4

What are the wider societal, political and economic impacts of eating disorders? (3 points)

Answer 4

Eating disorders cost the UK roughly 6.8 to 8 billion a year (BEAT report, 2015)

Limited resources for treatment due to high prevalence rate - 41% of people diagnosed had to wait more than 6 months for treatment

Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate among psychiatric disorders

Question 5

How can anorexia affect an individual? (2 points)

Answer 5

Ana Carolina Reston - a Brazilian model who aspired to be one from a very young age

Went from 8 stone to 6 stone - died of complication linked to anorexia

Question 6

How does classical conditioning link to anorexia? (3 points)

Answer 6

1. Fame and glamour (UCS) produces adoration (UCR)
2. Advertisers associate fame and glamour with thinness (NS)
3. As a result, people associate thinness (CS) with adoration (CR)

Question 7

How does operant conditioning link to anorexia? (3 points)

Answer 7

Positive reinforcement:
Public/peer praise for fashion trends and looking like a thin celebrity

Negative reinforcement:
Women not getting criticism for their appearance when they lose weight from extreme dieting

Both consequences lead to repeat food-restrictive behaviours

Question 8

How does the Social Learning Theory link to anorexia? (4 points)

Answer 8

Attention:
Media often exposes teenagers to slim celebrity role models who are perceived as desirable and of high social status

Retention:
+ Teenagers repeatedly observe celebrity role models promoting exercise routines, diets

Motor Reproduction:
+ Teenagers are physically capable of controlling their dietary intake and exercise routines
+ They identify themselves with the celebrity role model

Motivation:
Teenagers see their role models rewarded with social media ‘follows’ and magazine endorsements - vicarious reinforcement