Becker et al (2002)- socio- Enculturation of One Behavior,Ethical Considerations in culture

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

To investigate the impact of the introduction of Western television on eating behaviors and attitudes toward body image among adolescent girls in Fiji.

Question 2

Procedure

Answer 2

Becker conducted a prospective, natural experiment in Fiji, studying school girls. Data was first collected in 1995, just before television was introduced to the region, and then again three years later in 1998. To gather information, the researchers used questionnaires on eating behaviors, including the standardized EAT-26 (Eating Attitudes Test) to assess the risk of eating disorders. They also conducted interviews to explore the girls’ attitudes towards body image and their exposure to Western media. This allowed Becker to examine any changes in eating behaviors and body ideals following the arrival of Western television.

Question 3

Results

Answer 3

Disordered eating behaviors increased — % of girls scoring high on the EAT-26 rose from 13% (1995) to 29% (1998).

More girls reported dieting to lose weight.

Participants admired Western TV characters’ body shapes and expressed a desire to be thinner.

Western beauty ideals became more salient in Fijian culture.

Question 4

Prospective Study

Answer 4

A prospective study is a type of longitudinal study where researchers follow a group of participants over time to see how certain factors or exposures affect future outcomes.

✅ Key points:

It starts by measuring variables at the beginning (baseline).

Then participants are followed into the future.

Outcomes are recorded as they happen.

Question 5

Social Comparison Theory

Answer 5

The idea that people evaluate themselves by comparing to others (in this case, media images of thin women).

Question 6

Natural Experiment

Answer 6

An experiment where the independent variable changes naturally, not manipulated by researchers (in this case, exposure to Western media in Fiji, they didnt actually manipulate that, it was a naturally occuring event and the researchers just took advantage of it.)

Question 7

Ethical Concerns

Answer 7

Psychological Harm:
Discussing eating behaviors, body image, and purging could have been distressing for participants — especially if it encouraged self-awareness or comparison that hadn’t existed before.

Cultural Sensitivity:
The study involved bringing Western norms into a non-Western society. Even though the researchers didn’t directly introduce TV, they capitalized on a cultural shift, which may have contributed to harmful body image trends.