Which approach do you think is more concrete? Explain why.
Being a teenage girl, my health and fitness is something I take seriously. The statistic that half of American adults are over weight, and two-thirds of them being obese is a scary thought to me and makes me question how someone would allow themselves to get that way. I believe that the social-cultural approach has the most concrete. Living in the US, most people want what's fast, easy and cheap. However, what's fast, easy, and cheap isn't always the healthiest. Fast food is often what is glorified in advertisements, and that attracts most people to it. Also, for those who wants to seek out healthy organic options, can't always afford to keep up with it. Our environment plays a big factor on how Americans choose to feed themselves, which is lead to the high obesity rates.
Based on your introduction to the various modern approaches to psychology, which approach not discussed might provide another rationale for obesity? Explain your answer.
I believe that the behavioral perspective could also be another rationale for obesity. Starting at the young ages of our life, we are taught when to eat, what to eat and how much to eat. We watch our parents and peers, and develop similar habits overtime, based on who is surrounds us. I wonder if most eating habits of obese people are developed from their parents and what they were shown regarding health growing up. Also, many humans (including myself) often find motivation with the reward of food. As well as angered by the thought of food being taken away from us.
Haylee, I too completely agree with the question about how one gets that way. I feel as though society is very judgmental when it comes to the professional world, so it bewilders me that so many people allow such obesity to occur. Also, I do think that the behavioral aspect plays into it and I find it interesting to ponder, are dietary problems seriously hereditary or is it more a vicious cycle in which the parents just pass down that horrid habits?
ReplyDeleteHaylee, I completely agree with you that, as Americans, we often want instant gratification rather than reaping the long term satisfaction of long term health. This point sort of reminds me of the marshmallow experiment that we observed earlier in class. I also agree that obesity could simply be a taught problem, I remember talking (in French class) about how the French don't eat in-between meals, since the 1950s I believe we have taken food consumption in a more superficial direction, we want premade, good-looking/sounding foods, despite the follies of such foods: (such as high calorie intake and little nutritional value).
ReplyDeleteHaylee, When looking at the socio cultural approach I also question how some people let themselves become so obese when appearance (although superficial) is so important to americans. The effects of being an adult and "letting yourself go" in consequence to focusing on "more important things" intrigue me. For example, I question why it is people forget that the most important thing to take care of should be their body. You only have one and it is your only vehicle, you can't wreck it!
ReplyDeleteWell for one I would like to point out that the obese rating is in a connotative way misleading. I received a letter saying that I was obese based on my height and weight. There are more factors than fat that contribute to weight. I would like to point out the cognitive perspective and ponder if people are overweight on purpose for a variety of reasons.
ReplyDeleteHaylee, I can understand where you are coming from mentioning the teenage girl aspect in a socio-cultural perspective. I'm not being sexist when i say teenage girls are harder on one another about their appearance overall than guys are. Not only that but as you also said its the companies advertising and pushing food on us that makes us want to eat more whether it be a subliminal message or constant exposure.
ReplyDeleteHaylee,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your choice of the sociocultural perspective as the most concrete. In our culture, fast food restaurants seem necessary and most fast food restaurants, such as Mcdonalds, only offer extremely unhealthy foods because for them, it is the quickest and cheapest to make. Additionally, I also wonder how people can allow themselves become obese. Along with what Julia said, the most important thing to a person, before anything else, should be maintaining your own body. You need to feel comfortable and be happy in your own skin.