Tips for answering the revision questions: Chapter 6,
Eating Behaviour (A2 Level Psychology page 227)
Question 1
An important phrase in this essay title is “such as”—it means you can choose one or more of the suggestions, or make a different (though appropriate) choice. Therefore it is advisable to begin by deciding which factors you know enough about.
AO1: A good starting point would be to outline the various factors that influence attitudes to food. Pick the ones you know most about, and describe them clearly and in detail. The more accurate, detailed, organised, and structured your answer is, and the more breadth and depth of information you include, the higher the mark.
AO2 and AO3 marks depend on how you develop your answer, how you elaborate—discussion rather than plain description. You could comment on various studies for each factor, such as cultural influences or mood factors, interpreting their findings and assessing their methodology. You could discuss the validity of extrapolating research using non-human animals to humans, and the ethical challenges of research, which highlight health concerns about food quality, safety, and cost, and impact on attitudes to food choice. You could also include comments on the reductionist or determinist approach of research into neurotransmitters, brain pathways and centres, and hormones. To do well in these mark areas, you will need to make relevant comments based on issues, debates, and approaches.
Question 2
An important word in this essay title is “role”—it means you need to think about which brain centres, neurochemicals, and hormones are involved in the control of eating and satiation.
AO1: It is a good idea to start by explaining the basics of the evolutionary approach, such as the assumption that behaviours that were adaptive for our hunter-gatherer ancestors persist today because they have been inherited, i.e. they are nature, not nurture. You could go on to write about how this approach explains preferences for fatty and sugary (i.e. high calorie) foods. This would be mainly descriptive, but you need to explain and elaborate in order to get 9 marks. The more accurate, detailed, organised, and structured your answer is, and the more breadth and depth of information you include, the higher the mark.
AO2 and AO3 marks depend on how you develop your answer, how you elaborate—discussion rather than plain description. You could comment on various arguments and studies supporting the evolutionary explanation, interpreting their findings and assessing their methodology. You could show your knowledge of research into the brain centres that control eating and satiation, such as LH and VMH, and also discuss some of the many other factors involved (e.g. hormones such as leptin). This would enable you to comment on the validity of extrapolating research using non-human animals to ourselves. You could also include comments on the reductionist or determinist approach of such research; and discuss issues such as the usefulness of case studies, individual differences in food preferences and brain activity when we are either hungry or sated. To do well in these mark areas, you will need to make relevant comments based on issues, debates, and approaches.
Question 3
An important word in this essay title is “named”—it means you need to think about which eating disorder you know enough about.
AO1: You can start by explaining what we mean by “eating disorders”, perhaps naming the most common ones, and then focusing in on the one you have chosen. You could describe the main clinical characteristics, the frequency in the population, and the diagnostic criteria. You also need to describe, briefly, your chosen biological and your chosen psychological explanations. The more accurate, detailed, organised, and structured your answer is, and the more breadth and depth of information you include, the higher the mark.
AO2 and AO3 marks depend on how you develop your answer, how you elaborate—discussion rather than plain description. You could comment on the various studies that relate to each explanation, either as a support or a challenge. For example, you could use twin studies for the genetic explanation; interpreting their findings, and assessing their methodology. Offering short accounts of alternative explanations would also be useful. You could apply your knowledge to the change in frequency of the disorder, and how each explanation addresses this. You could also comment on the validity of extrapolating research using non-human animals to ourselves, and the ethics of using human participants in this socially sensitive research. You could also include comments on the reductionist or determinist approach of your chosen explanation(s) if appropriate; why the majority of humans do not develop an eating disorder is another issue. To do well in these mark areas, you will need to make relevant comments based on issues, debates, and approaches.
Question 4
An important word in this essay title is “or”—it means you need to think about whether you know enough about research into the failure or success of dieting, since the question asks you for one or the other.
AO1: It is a good idea to start by defining “dieting”, as this will lead in well. You could then say what the issue is, whether dieting is a success or a failure. Explain the terms “success” and “failure” in this context; then choose which you are going to focus on. In the Western world, dieting is taken to mean “attempting to lose weight”, and you could also include the reason for this assumption; the prevalence of obesity. The more accurate, detailed, organised, and structured your answer is, and the more breadth and depth of information you include, the higher the mark.
AO2 and AO3 marks depend on how you develop your answer, how you elaborate—discussion rather than plain description. You could comment on various studies of factors important in dieting to lose weight, such as insulin insensitivity, leptin levels, leptin-insensitivity, and exercise; interpreting their findings and assessing their methodology. You could apply your knowledge to the validity of extrapolating research using non-human animals to ourselves, and the ethics of using human participants in weight-loss research. You could also include comments on the reductionist or determinist approach of most research (when we consider that the study comparing diet programmes found that the key factors in dieting are psychological), and possibly include psychodynamic explanations for weight gain or loss. To do well in these mark areas, you will need to make relevant comments based on issues, debates, and approaches.