EATING
BEHAVIOUR
Anorexia Nervosa
Unit PSYA3
Miss 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.
In relation to either anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa:
Eating
disorders
Psychological explanations.
Biological explanations, including neural and evolutionary
explanations.
What we have covered
Where we are now
STARTER
In pairs, discuss and write down answers to the following
questions.
1.
2.
3.
4.
What is anorexia nervosa?
Can you identify any other types of eating disorder?
What are the clinical characteristics used to diagnose an
individual with anorexia?
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
AN
C: 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
1.
2.
3.
AN
Behaviourist
Psychodynamic
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 TASK
Review 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 MEDIA
WESTERN 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 EVIDENCE
SLT 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.
EVALUATION
SLT - 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 TASK
Complete 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) - FREUD
Gender 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 TASK
Read the cognitive explanation of AN
in your booklets.
Class discussion.
EVALUATION (A02)
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
Cooper and Turner (2000)
• Looked at emotional aspects of body selfperception 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 TASK
IDA (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 CONSIDER
Methodological issues.
Ethical issues.
Gender bias.
Culture bias.
Determinism vs. Free Will.
Nature vs. Nurture.
Different approaches.
IDA
Methodological – 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.’
IDA
Determinism 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.