Explanations For The Success And Failure Of Dieting

Front 1

A01 Restraint theory

Back 1

Restraint theory imposes a cognitive boundary on eating between hunger and satisfaction.

When cognitive boundary is broken, the person experiences a what-the-hell effect.

Which causes them to eat more unhealthy food as the barrier has been broken. Satisfaction is a biological boundary.

Front 2

AO2

Back 2

Herman and Mack

gave 15 dieters and 15 non-dieters tubs of ice cream in a fake taste test, after making them eat either 0, 1 or 2 milkshakes which acted as pre-load.

It was found that the non-dieters would simply eat until they were full, whereas the dieters that had already had either 1 or 2 milkshakes would experience disinhibition,

and therefore ate more ice cream than they perhaps would have if they hadn’t been on a diet, and ate more than any of the others.

Front 3

AO3

Back 3

Not all people over-eat on their diets e.g. anorexia.

It may be unethical as it encourages people on their diets to break them by eating the milkshake. This can lower the individual’s self-esteem and therefore may cause psychological harm to the participant.

As it was a lab experiment, it was in an artificial environment and therefore may lack any ecological validity

Front 4

A01 Denial theory

Back 4

The idea that when foods are banned in a diet, they suddenly take on a more prominent and desirable role in your thoughts e.g. chocolate.

Wegner calls this the ironic processes of mental control.

Front 5

AO2

Back 5

Wegner (1987) got ½ the participants to not think about a white bear.

The other half of the participants were told you can think about anything including the white bear if they want.

The participants who were told not to think about the bear, thought about the bear more times than those who were told they could.

This shows that any diets that completely eliminate a liked food fail and this shows support of paradoxical effects.

Front 6

IDA

Back 6

Determinism (not their fault)
It is likely that a number of genetic mechanisms exert an influence on weight, suggesting that the success of failure of dieting may be determined by factors other than an individual’s choice of lifestyle.

Front 7

Success

AO1 Detail

Back 7

Redden suggests that the secret of successful dieting lies in the attention we pay to what is being eaten.

He claims that people usually like experiences less as they repeat them.

Front 8

AO2 Redden

Back 8

135 participants, half had 22 different jelly beans which were labelled as what flavour they were, the other 22 ate different jelly beans which were not labelled.

He found that those who had labelled flavours ate faster and more and enjoyed it more.

Front 9

AO1 Anti-dieting programmes

Back 9

This states that not dieting is the Key to Losing Weight.

Intuitive eating; that is, eat only when hungry, they don't feel guilty about food, and eat whatever the body tells you to.

Front 10

AO2

Back 10

Higgins and gray (1999) did a meta-analysis of anti-dieting programmes.

They found that such programmes lead to increased psychological wellbeing. Therefore they are able to normalise their eating habits to normal portion size.

There was also weight stabilisation and therefore the weight stayed off.