Etiology of Bulimia Nervosa Socio-cultural 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 A desire to be thin is often influenced by images and messages. Rise in prevalence  frequently attributed to thinness as an ideal body shape

Women 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

Already by the age of 12, body shape may be major criteria for self-evaluation Men are becoming more under pressure “Worked out male figure”

Cross-cultural differences in body dissatisfaction (Jaeger et al.) Aim Aim: investigating body dissatisfaction Procedure Procedure: 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

Results Results: 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

Results support the explanation  bulimia is due to idealized body images Western countries more exposed to media However 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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