Psychological explanations for anorexia nervosa: social learning theory, including modelling, reinforcement.

Social Learning Theory offers a valuable perspective on the development of anorexia nervosa, emphasizing the importance of observational learning, modelling, and reinforcement in shaping attitudes and behaviours towards food, dieting, and body image. This theory suggests that individuals, particularly children and adolescents, learn and adopt behaviours based on the observed actions of significant others in their environment, such as family members, peers, and media figures.

Modelling and Reinforcement

The process of modelling involves observing and imitating the behaviours of role models. In the context of anorexia nervosa, these models may display attitudes and practices related to dieting, body dissatisfaction, and weight control. When children witness these behaviours and their positive outcomes (e.g., praise for weight loss), they may begin to emulate these behaviours, believing that they will also receive similar positive feedback.

Reinforcement strengthens the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. Positive reinforcement occurs when the behaviour is followed by a rewarding consequence, such as approval or compliments on appearance, which can encourage further weight loss efforts. Conversely, vicarious reinforcement occurs when individuals observe others receiving rewards for specific behaviours, leading them to expect similar rewards for engaging in the same behaviours.

Maternal Role Models

The influence of maternal role models is particularly significant in transmitting attitudes and behaviours related to eating and body image. Mothers may inadvertently model weight concerns and dieting behaviours to their daughters, establishing patterns of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating from a young age. Research indicates that children, especially daughters, are sensitive to their mothers' attitudes towards their weight, which are learned and internalized through social learning processes.

Evaluation of Social Learning Theory in Anorexia Nervosa

Social Learning Theory provides a compelling framework for understanding how anorexia nervosa can develop within familial and social contexts. However, several considerations must be taken into account:

• Complexity of Influences: While social learning plays a critical role, anorexia nervosa is a multifaceted disorder influenced by biological, psychological, and cultural factors. Social Learning Theory primarily addresses the environmental and observational aspects of the disorder's development.

• Diverse Role Models: In today's digital age, role models extend beyond the immediate family to include media figures and online influencers, broadening the scope of social learning influences on body image and eating behaviours.

• Prevention and Intervention: Understanding the mechanisms of social learning in anorexia nervosa highlights the importance of positive modelling and reinforcement in prevention efforts. Interventions may benefit from involving families in treatment, aiming to modify problematic behaviours and attitudes within the family system.

• Gender Considerations: While much of the research focuses on the mother-daughter dynamic, it's crucial to acknowledge that males can also be affected by anorexia nervosa. Social learning influences on males, including paternal role models and peer influences, warrant further exploration.

In summary, Social Learning Theory offers valuable insights into the development of anorexia nervosa, underscoring the role of environmental and observational learning in shaping disordered eating patterns. This perspective complements other theoretical frameworks, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of the disorder and informing more effective prevention and treatment strategies.

PEERS

Peers and the media play pivotal roles in shaping attitudes and behaviours related to body image and eating, particularly during the formative adolescent years. These external influences can significantly contribute to the development of unhealthy weight control behaviours and eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa, through the mechanisms of social learning, modelling, and reinforcement.

Peer Influence

During adolescence, peers become increasingly important role models, and their behaviours and attitudes can have a profound impact. Research highlighting the relationship between dieting among friends and the adoption of unhealthy weight control behaviours underscores the significance of peer influence. The social environment created by peers can reinforce gender-specific body ideals, leading to increased body dissatisfaction and the adoption of harmful practices to conform to these ideals.

• Teasing and Body Image: Teasing related to weight can exacerbate body image concerns and contribute to the development of disordered eating behaviours. Overweight girls and underweight boys, who are often the targets of such teasing, may feel pressured to alter their bodies in ways that align with societal and peer-endorsed standards of attractiveness.

Media Influences

The portrayal of thinness as the ideal body type in various media outlets exerts a powerful influence on body image and eating behaviours. This constant exposure to idealized images contributes to a societal drive for thinness, particularly among adolescent girls, who may see these representations as standards to aspire to.

• Impact on Self-Esteem: Individuals with low self-esteem are particularly vulnerable to the effects of media portrayals of thinness. They are more likely to engage in upward social comparisons with idealized images, leading to increased body dissatisfaction and the potential for developing eating disorders.

• Concerns from Health Organisations: The British Medical Association's report on the impact of media images highlights the disconnection between the portrayed body types and the actual body sizes of most children and young women. This discrepancy can reinforce unattainable beauty standards, contributing to widespread body dissatisfaction and unhealthy attempts to achieve these standards.

• Statistical Representation in Media: The stark contrast between the body sizes of female characters on TV and the actual body sizes of the viewing audience illustrates the prevalence of underrepresentation of average and diverse body types in media. This can perpetuate the notion that thinness is both the norm and the ideal.

Conclusion

The influences of peers and media are integral to understanding the social context in which attitudes toward body image and eating behaviours are formed and reinforced. These factors contribute to the normalization of thinness as an ideal, exacerbate body dissatisfaction, and can lead to the adoption of unhealthy eating behaviours and the development of eating disorders. Addressing these influences is crucial in developing effective interventions and support systems for young people struggling with body image concerns and eating disorders. Promoting media literacy, encouraging diverse representations of body types in media, and fostering a supportive peer environment can help mitigate the negative impact of these social factors.

EVALUATION

Evaluating the application of Social Learning Theory (SLT) to anorexia nervosa provides a multifaceted view of how the disorder can be understood within the context of environmental and social influences. While SLT contributes significantly to our understanding of anorexia nervosa, especially in terms of modelling and reinforcement mechanisms, its limitations and the complexities of maternal and peer influences suggest the need for a more integrated approach.

Maternal Influence and Complexity

The influence of mothers on their daughters regarding body image and eating behaviours is more nuanced than SLT might suggest. Research findings that show no direct imitation of parental concerns or behaviours by daughters challenge the straightforward modelling hypothesis of SLT. This indicates that the transmission of disordered eating may not solely rely on observable behaviours but could also be deeply rooted in the quality of the mother-daughter relationship and psychological dynamics such as enmeshment. Thus, the relationship's emotional and communicative aspects might play a critical role in influencing eating disorders beyond mere observational learning.

Peer Influence and Support

Research supports the significant role of peers in shaping body image perceptions and eating behaviours. The influence of peers, particularly during adolescence, emphasizes the social aspect of SLT, where perceived norms within a peer group can either mitigate or exacerbate the risk of developing an eating disorder. This highlights the importance of the social environment in understanding the development of anorexia nervosa and supports the notion that interventions aimed at promoting healthy body image should consider peer group dynamics.

Diathesis-Stress Model

The diathesis-stress model offers a comprehensive framework that includes both genetic predispositions (diathesis) and environmental stressors as critical components in the development of anorexia nervosa. This model addresses the limitations of SLT by incorporating biological vulnerabilities and individual differences, which can explain why not all individuals exposed to thin-ideal media or peer pressures develop anorexia nervosa. The model suggests that a combination of predisposing factors and specific stressors, such as media influence or significant life events, triggers the onset of the disorder.