Key Question: What are the implications for society if anorexia is a learned disorder

What is anorexia? (AO1)

• Restriction of energy intake below requirements leading to significantly low body weight.

• The intense fear of gaining weight or becoming fat

What are the implications of anorexia on society?

• Anorexia has a 5-10% morality rate which is the highest of all mental health problems

• costs the NHS a large amount of money to treat so it is better to prevent the disorder.

• sufferers are unable to work if they are experiencing severe symptoms meaning there will be less income for their families and output for society

How can anorexia be learned through social learning theory?

*Anorexia can be learned from models, celebrities and internet personalities by social learning theory.

Attention: The followers of these people will pay attention to their anorexia tips and behaviours.

Retention: They may retain the images of their bodies and anorexia behaviours like how to lose weight rapidly

Reproduction: They will then try to replicate the behaviours like starving themselves to reproduce the idolized body type

Motivation: Vicarious reinforcement of the celebrities being complimented on their body may encourage followers to take up the same anorexic behaviour.

Becker evidence: When TV was introduced into Fiji, dieting and purging rates increased as girls tried to emulate body types they were watching

How can anorexia be learned through operant conditioning?

Positive Reinforcement: When individuals post their body online, they may get lots of likes encorgaing them to keep posting

Negative Reinforcement: As they get thinner, the negative comments on their body may stop making the individual more inclined to lose weight.

Negative Punishment: Creators will then be to scared to gain weight as the positive comments on their body may stop which encourages anorexic behaviours