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Thesis/Dissertation Information
- Degree Disciplines:
- Psychology
Notes
- Abstract:
- The study examined, from an evolutionary perspective, the relation between eating restriction, a sense of belonging, fear of negative evaluation and cultural orientation in adult women. Participants completed the Drive for Thinness subscale of the Eating Disorder Inventory (EDI) which measures eating restriction, the psychological subscale of the Sense of Belonging Instrument (SOBI-P), which measures feelings of fitting into a social group, the Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE), which measures fears of being negatively evaluated, and the In-group Solidarity dimension of the shortened Individualism/Collectivism (INDCOL) Scale which assesses cultural orientation. The study used correlations to assess associations between variables and multiple regression to assess the predictive impact of the variables on eating restriction. The study found that eating restriction was negatively associated with a sense of belonging and positively associated with fear of negative evaluation. The study also found that women with a low sense of belonging, high fear of negative evaluation and individualistic attitudes were more likely to restrict eating. Implications for theoretical models and therapeutic treatment were discussed. The conceptualization of eating restriction as a response to social threats is emphasized. Suggestions for treatment include the enhancement of perceived value to a social system, reduction of sensitivity to exclusion cues, and incorporation of collectivistic cultural elements to strengthen a sense of belonging. In order to more thoroughly examine the relation between eating restriction and social fears, there must first be a brief overview of evolutionary theory. Afterward, one can see how evolutionary theory is used in the field of evolutionary psychology. After an overview of the principles of evolutionary psychology, various different hypotheses for eating pathology will be examined. A thorough review of the major evolutionary hypotheses regarding eating disorders, with specificity to the role of eating restriction will follow. Various elements from the evolutionary hypotheses of eating disorders will be used to demonstrate the notion that eating restriction is a possible response to the threat of exclusion from the group; an individual who feels a threat to her sense of belonging may respond with eating restriction in order to maintain or increase group status. The relation between eating restriction and fear of negative evaluation will then be examined, demonstrating that individuals with high fears of negative evaluation are more likely to report high levels of eating restriction.
- Thesis:
- Thesis (M.S.)--Barry University, 2011.
- Bibliography:
- Includes bibliographical references (leaves 115-128).
Record Information
- Source Institution:
- Barry University
- Holding Location:
- Barry University Archives and Special Collections
- Rights Management:
- Copyright Mehrnoush Zargari. Permission granted to Barry University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.
- Resource Identifier:
- RC552.E18 Z37 2011_ZargariMehrnoush-No ToC ( BU-Local )
- Classification:
- RC552.E18 Z37 2011 ( lcc )
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