Sociocultural level of analysis The idea of the perfect body image has changed over the years Media Television billboards and magazines Making exeptional good looks seem normal but current media ideal is only achieved by less than 5 of female population ID: 932665
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Slide1
Etiology of Bulimia Nervosa
Socio-cultural level of analysis
Slide2The idea of the perfect body image has changed over the years
Slide3Media
Television, billboards and magazines
Making
exeptional
good looks seem normal, but current media ideal is only achieved by less than 5 % of female populationA desire to be thin is often influenced by images and messages.
Rise in prevalence frequently attributed to thinness as an ideal body shape
Slide4Women more likely to be a target for media propaganda than men and children
Ideal female thinness also seen with children’s clothes and dolls
Sanders and
Bazalgette
(1993)
- Analyzed body shape of Barbie, Cindy and the Little Mermaid - Measured bust, height, hips and waist - Converting measurements to a real woman
all dolls tiny hips and waists
Slide5Already by the age of 12, body shape may be major criteria for self-evaluation
Men are becoming more under
pressure
“Worked out male figure”
Slide6Cross-cultural differences in body dissatisfaction (Jaeger et al.)
Aim
: investigating body dissatisfaction
Procedure
:
- 1751 medical & nursing students, from 12 nations
- Natural experiment, no control over the independent variable (culture)
- Self-report method
body dissatisfaction, self-esteem, and dieting behavior
- 10 culture free body silhouettes
Slide7Results
: Significant differences between cultures
- most extreme in Mediterranean countries, followed by northern Europe
- Countries in progress of westernization, and non-western countries showed lower levels of body dissatisfaction
Slide8Results support the explanation
bulimia is due to idealized body images
Western countries more exposed to media
However
:
- Ignores genetic factors
- Reductionist to only consider one explanation
- Natural experiment – one cannot say that culture causes difference in body dissatisfaction
- Not a representative sample
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