13.4 Psychological Explanations for Anorexia Nervosa

• What are the two primary characteristics of anorexia nervosa?

  Distorted body image, excessive weight loss
• Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a distorted body image and excessive weight loss due to inadequate caloric intake
• Fear of gaining weight is a driving factor for individuals with anorexia nervosa.
• What is the main focus of cognitive explanations for anorexia nervosa?

  Distorted thinking
• One key component of cognitive explanations is distorted body image
• Match the cognitive explanation with its description:

  Distorted body image ↔️ Inaccurate perception of body shape

  Perfectionism ↔️ Excessively high standards

  Low self-esteem ↔️ Negative evaluation of oneself
• Cognitive patterns in anorexia nervosa perpetuate restrictive eating behaviors for control and validation.
• What are the three key behavioral explanations for anorexia nervosa?

  Classical, operant, social learning
• Operant conditioning in anorexia nervosa can reinforce restrictive eating through a sense of control
• Social learning theory suggests restrictive eating behaviors are adopted by observing and imitating others.
• Match the behavioral theory with its key concept:

  Classical Conditioning ↔️ Pairing food with negative emotions

  Operant Conditioning ↔️ Reinforcement of restrictive eating

  Social Learning Theory ↔️ Observing and imitating behaviors
• What is the primary focus of behavioral explanations for anorexia nervosa?

  Learned eating behaviors
• Praise for weight loss is an example of operant conditioning in anorexia nervosa.
• Social learning theory suggests that behaviors are learned through observation and imitation
• Which learning theory involves learning through reinforcement and punishment?

  Operant conditioning
• Positive reinforcement, such as praise for weight loss, can reinforce restrictive eating behaviors.
• What does social learning theory suggest about behavior acquisition?

  Observation and imitation
• In classical conditioning, learning occurs through association.
• Which behavioral theory emphasizes reinforcement and punishment?

  Operant conditioning
• Social learning theory explains eating disorders by suggesting individuals imitate restrictive diets of family members.
• In classical conditioning, anxiety after eating may lead to food avoidance.
• How does negative reinforcement maintain restrictive eating behaviors?

  Avoiding criticism for weight gain
• Anorexia Nervosa is characterized by a distorted perception of body image.
• One key characteristic of Anorexia Nervosa is excessive weight loss.
• What is a distorted body image in Anorexia Nervosa?

  Inaccurate perception of body shape
• Perfectionism in Anorexia Nervosa often leads to self-criticism.
• Low self-esteem in Anorexia Nervosa exacerbates feelings of inadequacy.
• Which cognitive factor highlights inaccurate perception of body shape in Anorexia Nervosa?

  Distorted body image
• Perfectionism in Anorexia Nervosa involves setting excessively high standards.
• What role does low self-esteem play in Anorexia Nervosa?

  Negative self-evaluation
• Arrange the behavioral theories in the order they explain Anorexia Nervosa

  1️⃣ Classical conditioning

  2️⃣ Operant conditioning

  3️⃣ Social learning theory
• What emotional state is often associated with food in classical conditioning for Anorexia Nervosa?

  Anxiety or guilt
• Weight loss in operant conditioning can provide a sense of control.
• Which behavioral theory emphasizes observation and imitation of others' behaviors?

  Social learning theory
• Behavioral patterns interact with cognitive distortions to sustain Anorexia Nervosa.
• In behavioral explanations, classical conditioning involves associating stimuli with food or weight.
• What role does reinforcement or punishment play in operant conditioning for Anorexia Nervosa?

  Influencing behaviors
• What are the three key components of behavioral explanations for Anorexia Nervosa?

  Classical, operant, social learning
• In classical conditioning, a person with Anorexia Nervosa may associate thinness with happiness
• Praise for weight loss is an example of positive reinforcement in operant conditioning.