Observational Learning Theory

Observational Learning is a type of learning that functions as observing, retaining, and replicating something that has been seen. It takes the biggest toll on children, because they view it and think that it's the right thing to do. This learning theory cause young children who watch violent TV shows to become violent later in life, and the young girls who watch reality TV shows get the impression that only attractive and stick skinny will be payed attention to by boys. This is leading many young teens to develop eating disorders because they don't care what it takes to be in the spot light and to be found attractive.


According to Bandura, there are several conditions that the observer must go through in order to retain the information to act upon it. 
      1. Attention- the observer must pay attention to in order to learn the information
      2. Retention- the observer must be able to recall the behavior
      3. Motor Reproduction- the observer must have motor skills to reproduce the behavior
      4. Motivation- the observer must have the motivation to carry out the action that was observed 
-Young teens watch TV all the time, causing them to be exposed to the behaviors over and over again, which causes them to act like what they see

Examples

Making the woman look skinnier then she actually is:
schoolofathens.com

Too Skinny?:                                Medias Role?:
sodahead.com                                  diet-blog.com

onthelevels.blogspot.com

http://www.mattbarton.net/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page=Effects+of+Media+portrayal+of+women

kterrl.wordpress.com

Basic Information

1. The “Ideal Woman"
    -Ads, commercials, movies, TV shows, magazines, ect
2. Women between the ages of 13 and 29
3. Approximately 90% of eating disorders are caused by the media
4. the media contributes to the problem by depicting impossibly skinny women as the "ideal”
5. It is extremely difficult to escape the portrayal of the “ideal woman”
    –Because the most powerful mode of influence comes from the media, which are seen everywhere in today’s society
6. Women begin to develop low self-esteem and problems with eating disorders and exercising to fit the unrealistic idea of the “perfect body”
    –Now slowly killing themselves through low self-esteem, manic exercise, and even     starvation. 

Reasons:

•College aged girls are prone to “molding” themselves into what society wants

–They already worry about maintaining good grades, getting good jobs after graduation, and fitting in

–They often skip meals to balance out the calories from the beer they drank at last night's party

–Anorexia and Bulimia are two of the more serious side effects that have emerged
-They also may develop low self-esteem, thoughts of suicide, dissatisfaction of their bodies, self mutilation, and many other psychological disorders. 
-According to The American research group Anorexia Nervosa & Related Eating Disorders, Inc. One out of every four college-aged women uses unhealthy methods of weight control-- including fasting, skipping meals, excessive exercise, laxative abuse, and self-induced vomiting. 


http://www.mattbarton.net/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page=Effects+of+Media+portrayal+of+women

Change From the Past

1. There was a time that the naturally voluptuous and curvy woman was seen as sexy and beautiful.
2. According to http://www.mattbarton.net, Twenty years ago the average model only weighed 8% less than the average woman, whereas the average model today weighs 23% less. Most models today are thinner than 95% of the population.
3. Now curvy is seen as overweight or fat
    -Ideal Woman: Usually a size 0 or lower, 6ft tall, and    around 90 pounds.
    -Approval from our peers and “fitting in” is so highly prized by young girl.

http://www.mattbarton.net/tikiwiki/tiki-index.php?page=Effects+of+Media+portrayal+of+women

Starting young: Barbie

According to Teen Ink a standard Barbie doll is 11.5 inches tall, so at a 1/6th scale, she would stand five feet nine inches. Her chest would measure thirty-six inches, her waist, eighteen inches, and her hips would be thirty-three inches. she would weigh one hundred and ten pounds. Therefore, being thirty-five pounds underweight, lacking the 17 to 22 percent body fat required for women to menstruate, and she would suffer from back problems due to not having enough strength to support her largely proportioned chest. 


Is this really what you want young girls to aspire for?


http://www.teenink.com/opinion/pop_culture_trends/article/225891/Mass-Media-Has-a-Negative-Impact-on-Women/

http://www.beautyfromtheheart.org/2007/05/youre-such-doll.html

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-20055694-10391704.html?tag=mncol;lst;2

Studies

1. In 1998, there was a study done by the Journal of American College Health that found the media to be a mass marketer of the female body image. It has been proven that it is a strong force in creating the stereotype of the tall and thin women as the "ideal" beauty type. (Rabak-Wagener)
2. University of Minnesota conducted a study on 2500 female teenagers that showed the amount of teens using diet pills has doubled, from 7.5% to 14.2%.