The Learning Approach’s explanation
for anorexia
Keep in mind that 90% of cases are
female between 13-18 years
Rarely begins before puberty
DSM-IV states it occurs in 0.5-1% of
females in adolescence and early
adulthood
Behavioural Explanations - Learning
approach
People learn how to be anorexic
• It could have developed due to rewards from
the environment.
• Individuals are rewarded for becoming slim
and losing weight as in today’s Western
society models and pop stars are mostly very
slim
Classical conditioning
• Classical
conditioning:
• An association
between thinness
and admiration is
learned.
• Step 1Slimness starts
out as a neutral
stimulus
• But then you learn to
associate slimness with
admiration.
• Therefore slimness =
admiration
Fear of gaining weight can be
explained through classical
conditioning
• The fear of gaining
weight is paired with
eating and a classically
conditioned anxiety
response develops
• Next time the person
has food they will feel
anxious and in order to
reduce the anxiety they
will avoid eating
Stimulus response
• Slimming becomes a
habit via a stimulus
response mechanism.
• The individual learns to
associate thinness
(stimulus) with
admiration and feeling
good about themselves
(response)
Operant conditioning
Continuing admiration is reinforcing; more weight
loss, more admiration. Extreme weight loss gets
attention and concern which is also rewarding.
Avoiding food also gets attention
Punishing parents (they worry)can also be
rewarding.
• Also negative reinforcement – avoiding food
now the feared stimulus.
Social Learning Theory
• We learn what
behaviours are
successful (being thin),
and may imitate this
behaviour under
appropriate conditions.
• E.g. in adolescence
• Supported by the study
by Becker (1999) on
Bulimia.
• Introduction of TV to Fiji
increased bulimic
behaviours.
Social Learning theory
• Social Learning theory
• Vicarious
reinforcement:
the slimness ideal is
learned through the
media.
• “She is
admired, so if
I am like her I
will be too”.
• She is a role
model
The Behavioural approach (evaluation)
Explains gender
differences as females
more influenced by
media models
Though the male
thinness stereotype is increasing as is
anorexia in males
• Go over ARRM
(attention, retention,
reproduction
&motivation) to make
sure you remember
how SLT works.
• Think Bo Bo doll
• Bandura
• Sutherland’s differential
association theory
Anorexia can be learnt
through association,
consequences of action
and imitation of role
models
The Behavioural approach
(evaluation)
• Explains cultural
differences: anorexia is
non- existent in China.
Chinese have a cultural
norm respecting food and,
thinness is not valued.
• Sui-Wah (1989) anorexia is
rare in black populations in
the West and non-Western
cultures
• Though Hoek et al.(1998)
disagree – they examined 44,192
records of patients admitted to
hospital over 2 years 1987-89 in
Curacao where it is ok to be
overweight. Found 6 cases of
eating disorders.
• Doesn’t explain individual
differences: exposure to thin
models doesn’t necessarily lead
to anorexia, nor does everyone
who diets become anorexic.
Exam Question
Explain why, according to the learning approach,
people suffer from anorexia nervosa. (5 marks)