Example Key Question

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Key Question 

Is the Influence of Role Models and Celebrities Something that Causes Eating Disorders?

A01 - 4 marks, A02- 4 marks, A03 - 4 marks

 

Eating disorders affect 10% of the under 18 population in the UK. A famous and significant example of an eating disorder is the death of Luizel Ramos, a size zero model, which kick-started the anti-size zero model movement. Her death, although tragic, lead to many Italian fashion designers and Victoria Beckham banning models who are a size zero, in an attempt to prevent more deaths. 

 

Famous model, Kate Moss, stated, in 2009, that one of her mottos for life was: 'Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels'. This soon became the slogan for pro-ana websites and social media accounts and suggests to all her young followers that food is the main part of your life, along with being slim.

 

Social learning theory can be used to explain the way some eating disorders are formed. For example, children who hear their mothers complain about their weight frequently, are more likely to develop an eating disorder and have body dysmorphia.  The Bobo experiment, which showed children a video of bobo being hit by a woman in a film, shows that if children are shown a role-model doing something, they are likely to follow suit and imitate the behaviour. Using this example, if young, impressionable teenagers see their role models promoting diets, or excessively exercising, they are far more likely to a) normalise the behaviour in their heads and b) try to imitate and copy said behaviour. 

 

Furthermore, if models and parents are observed to be self critical and slim, many people will not feel slim enough and develop body dysmorphia, which has a huge effect on causing eating disorders.

 

There are however, other triggers and reasons why

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