Becker et al. (2002) Eating Behaviours and Television (Edexcel A-Level Psychology): Revision Notes
Becker et al. (2002) Eating Behaviours and Television
Aim
Becker and colleagues examined how extended exposure to television influenced attitudes towards eating and actual eating behaviours among adolescent girls in Fiji. The research focused on exploring whether television, which introduced images and programmes predominantly from Western cultures (mainly the United States), would affect traditional Fijian values and eating habits.
In traditional Fijian culture, a robust body type was preferred, hearty appetites were encouraged, and there was widespread social vigilance regarding weight loss. Moreover, dieting and exercise were traditionally discouraged in Fijian society - values that contrast sharply with Western media portrayals of body image.
Participants
The study used two separate samples of adolescent females from Nadroga, Fiji:
- 1995 sample: 63 girls, studied several weeks after television was introduced to Fiji
- 1998 sample: 65 girls, studied three years after television introduction
These samples were matched as closely as possible for the cross-sectional design, though they were not directly comparable.
Procedure
This naturalistic experiment employed a prospective multi-wave cross-sectional design. The research capitalised on the natural introduction of television to Fiji as the independent variable, without any manipulation by the experimenters. The study tracked changes over time by comparing two different groups at different time points.
Key Study Design Terms:
- Naturalistic experiment: a type of experiment that occurs in a natural setting (and where the independent variable is not being manipulated by the experimenter)
- Prospective design: a study that begins at the starting point of a change and tracks development over time, looking forward rather than looking back (retrospective)
- Multi-wave: where there are several different measurements being used in the study
- Cross-sectional: research that looks at a group of individuals within a set period of time (as opposed to longitudinal research where the same individuals are examined over a prolonged period of time)
Methodology
Both groups completed a modified version of the EAT-26 survey, which assessed bingeing and purging behaviours. This self-reporting instrument was essential as it provided quantitative data about participants' eating attitudes. Each response received a score, with a score of 20 or above considered high.
The EAT-26 Survey is a widely used self-measure assessment of characteristics/behaviours associated with eating disorders. A score of 20 or above is considered high and suggests the individual views themselves as having attitudes towards eating that may warrant further investigation.
Separate questions explored household television ownership and viewing habits. Participants who initially scored highly (above 20) on the EAT-26 survey were invited to participate in semi-structured interviews to provide deeper qualitative insights.
In the 1998 sample, additional questions addressed body image and dieting. Questions also explored any differences between the girls and their parents concerning diet and weight. A subset of 30 girls from the original 1995 cohort, who had a range of disordered eating habits and behaviours, participated in follow-up interviews that included probing, open-ended questions examining practices concerning weight and diet.
Key question
The central research question asked: would exposure to television, which introduced images and programming from predominantly Western cultures, impact the traditional values and eating habits associated with Fijian culture?
Results
Quantitative findings
Two substantial differences emerged between the 1995 group (before television) and the 1998 group (after television introduction):
| Measure | 1995 (Before TV) | 1998 (After TV) |
|---|---|---|
| EAT-26 scores above 20 | 12.7% | 29.2% |
| Self-induced vomiting for weight control | 0% | 11.3% |
Body dissatisfaction increased substantially, with notably more respondents in 1998 reporting they believed they should eat less. The percentage of girls with high EAT-26 scores more than doubled from 12.7% to 29.2%, and self-induced vomiting emerged as a new behaviour at 11.3% when it had been completely absent before television introduction.
Qualitative findings
Interview data revealed several themes:
Admiration for television characters: 83% of the interviewed sample reported that television had influenced how they and their friends viewed their bodies, with 77% stating that television had influenced their body image. Women showed a tendency to imitate role models by altering their behaviour, clothing choices, or hairstyle.
Career prospects beliefs: 40% of participants justified their desire to eat less or lose weight as a means of improving career prospects or becoming more useful at home. Additionally, 30% indicated that television characters served as role models concerning work or career matters.
Generational differences: An awareness emerged of generational differences in attitudes towards eating. Parental generations felt that girls should eat more, whilst younger girls expressed a desire to eat less.
Conclusion
Becker concluded that in Fiji, where until the late 1990s there had been no organised visual media communication, the introduction of television influenced changes to eating attitudes in women. These changes ran counter to the traditional attitudes towards eating and body image that had previously dominated within that culture. The research demonstrated how media exposure could shift cultural norms regarding body image and eating behaviours.
Evaluation: Strengths
Good reliability of findings: Becker's study demonstrates strong reliability because it draws similar conclusions about media influence to previous research by Lee (1998) and Furnham and Husain (1999), yet is the first to examine media influence on disordered eating attitudes in a media-naïve culture.
This research has practical application and can be used to advocate for more regulation of extreme body forms (such as size zero models) in various types of visual media in society.
High ecological validity: The study possesses strong ecological validity because it examines a naturally occurring event. The impact of television introduction can be assessed in the wider context of conflicting cultural values, providing insights into real-world phenomena rather than artificial laboratory conditions.
Practical applications: The findings have direct relevance for policy-making regarding media regulation and body image standards in advertising and entertainment media.
Evaluation: Weaknesses
Validity of diagnosis concerns: The EAT-26 survey provides indicators of eating attitudes rather than formal clinical diagnosis. The disordered eating attitudes and behaviours observed cannot necessarily be equated with the presence of an actual eating disorder.
The use of self-induced vomiting and its association with eating disorders is predominantly a Western phenomenon. This raises questions about whether the instrument adequately accounts for the Fijian historical and cultural background, which might not associate these behaviours with body dissatisfaction in the same way.
Sample size and representativeness issues: Whilst participants in the two samples used in the cross-sectional design were matched as closely as possible, they were not directly comparable and the possibility of a cohort effect exists. Comparisons between the two groups are therefore problematic. Additionally, there were only 63 or 65 participants in each sample, which may not have been representative of the whole Fijian population of approximately 85,000 at the time of the study.
Confounding variables: Other variables, such as developing consumerism or peer group influence, could also increase disordered eating habits. Respondents not only made explicit references to how television had influenced them, but also to how their peers' views of what was admirable in television characters affected them. Peer influence may therefore have been a mediating factor on body image rather than television alone.
Potentially misleading conclusions: Despite Becker's claim that Fijian society was virtually absent of eating disorders, she recorded high scores on the questionnaire equating to eight girls at the beginning of the study. Only an additional 12 girls scored highly on the questionnaire three years later. Although this increase was statistically notable, it may be misleading to conclude that the media had such a substantial influence on the girls' eating behaviour given the small absolute numbers involved.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Becker et al. (2002) used a naturalistic prospective multi-wave cross-sectional design to examine television's impact on eating behaviours in Fijian adolescent girls before and after TV introduction.
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The proportion of girls scoring above 20 on the EAT-26 survey more than doubled from 12.7% (1995) to 29.2% (1998), and self-induced vomiting increased from 0% to 11.3%.
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Qualitative findings showed 83% felt television influenced how they viewed their bodies, with themes including admiration for TV characters, beliefs about career prospects linked to weight, and generational differences in eating attitudes.
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Strengths include good reliability (consistent with previous research), high ecological validity (naturally occurring event), and practical applications for media regulation.
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Weaknesses include concerns about the validity of the EAT-26 as a diagnostic tool in a non-Western culture, small sample sizes that may not represent the wider population, potential confounding variables (consumerism, peer influence), and potentially misleading conclusions given the small absolute numbers showing change.