OCR Psychology Assignment Essay

The expression Fashion companys shock play in the fight against surface of it zero(a) appe atomic deem 18d on the Daily Mails Website on Tuesday, September 25th 2007.1. AssumptionsThe offset mental laying claim is that the use of shock tactics by way of an physique portraying a b atomic number 18-assed anorexic woman depart jolt the means fabrication into action over the problem of anorexia. The denomination suggests that the use of strong concern appeal will be enough to provoke behavioural switch over and an sense of the ailment. A headache appeal is a technique used to persuade an audience into behaving in a particular way by arousing a upkeep of the consequences of not following the message granted. The belief of fear appeals was studied by Janis and Feshback (1953).The entropy mental assumption is that the fashion persistence and the obsession with stick-thin size zero models is to blame for the increase in cases of anorexia. The article therefore sugg ests that population step upside of the fashion industry perhaps idolise models who appear to be rewarded with fame and passel for cosmos stick-thin. It assumes people imitate these models behaviour in the hope of cosmos like them. Research into vicarious larn was conducted by Bandura (1965) who consequently formed the cordial learning theory.The third psychological assumption relates to the hoarding designers decision to use a picture of a young-bearing(prenominal) anorexic and presumes that the majority, if not all, of anorexic sufferers are female person. A dissect that explored the prevalence of anorexia among males and females was performed by Kjels et al (2003).2. licenceEvidence opposing the inaugural assumption was conducted by Janis and Feshback (1953), who studied the motivational effect of fear arousal in health promotional material communication. The integral freshman class of a Connecticut spirited school was divided into 4 aggroups, 3 of which were giv en 15-minute lectures on tooth decay and oral hygiene, while the one-fourth acted as the control group. all(prenominal) lecture had a different strength of fear appeal, and results showed that although strong fear resulted in greater immediate anxiety, the b regulateline fear group showed the largest changes in behaviour. The minimal fear group showed 36% behaviour change, whereas strong fear nevertheless showed 8%. This therefore opposes the view of the article that the image of the naked anorexic woman will arrive at the fashion industry to take action against the illness and, although it will read some effect, a minimal fear approach would be most successful.Evidence that supports the sanction assumption was provided by Albert Bandura (1965). Bandura showed three groups of children tapes of a man being predatory towards a doll. The first group saw the man being rewarded for his actions, the second saw him being punished and the third were not shown any consequences. The c hildren were because placed in a room with a similar doll and observed. Results of the guide showed that children were significantly more likely to imitate aggressive behaviour when they had observed the model being rewarded. Bandura labeled this imitation vicarious leaning.This forms part of the social learning theory suggesting that behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation. This supports the second assumption as people observing models inside the fashion industry witness them being rewarded for being thin with fame and fortune, and subsequently imitate their behaviour in order to gain the same rewards. They try to be as thin as the models by famishment themselves and consequently become anorexic, as the article would suggest.The take the stand that challenges the third assumption is given by Kjelss et al. They studied 1026 female and 934 male adolescents using DSM-IV and DSM-III-R criteria to plunge the prevalence of eating disorders in both genders. Each partici pant was asked to complete a questionnaire, and results showed that while 17.9% of female participants had suffered anorexia at some point in their lifetime, 6.5% of males had also. The study concludes that although prevalence of anorexia nervosa is higher in females, males are also susceptible to the illness. The image of the female anorexic on the billboard therefore does little to raise cognisantness of the illness among men and perpetuates the stereotype that eating disorders are a female disease.3. ApplicationsIn relation to the first assumption, Janis and Feshback would argue that instead of using shock tactics a more effective way of manner of speaking about a change inwardly the industry would be to provide people with information on the disease, and preventative measures. Leaflets and posters containing this information could be distributed to people within the industry itself, and perhaps to the public in order to provide awareness to the majority. This may however ha ve little effect, as there is no control that the information would be listened to by an industry out to gain profit.Banduras theory and study suggests that people learn anorexic behaviour from seeing tightfitting models in the media. and so, in relation to the second assumption, the number of anorexic cases could be decreased by ensuring that no model within the fashion industry is on a lower floor certain measurements for example, by preventing the use of size zero models. If people are exposed to healthier-looking models, people may develop healthier eating habits. This however assumes that size 0 models are ill, and could be perceived as discrimination against healthy individuals. There may be resistance against this motion from the fashion industry and models themselves.In relation to the third assumption, Kjelss et als study suggests that males are also susceptible to anorexia. Therefore people need to be made aware of this to increase the perceived susceptibility, especial ly in males. health promotion could include information on male anorexia, and contain pictures of male sufferers who are willing to tract their stories. If awareness of anorexia in males is raised and the stereotype of it being a typically female disease scrapped, then the number of males who seek help will increase. up to now if males do not perceive themselves susceptible they are unlikely to choose to read the health promotion in the first place as they recall it to be a female disease.