Five Perspectives for Understanding Eating in Australian Adults

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Five Perspectives for Understanding Eating in Australian Adults

Evolutionary Perspective

History and Eating Motivation

When it comes to eating, the evolutionary perspective was founded in 1859 in Darwin’s books titled The Origin of Species and despite the fact that Charles Darwin never invented the concept; he proposed the natural selection concept that account for it. According to Westen (2002), the evolutionary theory of hunger and eating, the mammalian feeding system controls the hunger. This system evolves after a consistent and an unpredictable food supply.

Motivation towards SSS Foods

According to evolutionary theory, people evolved probably from different environments where they had eat energy-giving foods. In this case, humans were supposed to eat food that has more calories so that they can survive famine. Despite the fact that such evolution assisted human to survive in the past, it has stuck against people’s health up to date. The past behaviors are the major cause of people’s preference for SSS foods that are calorie dense.

Over the years, people have come to like some foods, for example, fast and sweet foods.   This explains how the mammalian feeding systems have evolved over the years. When sweet, salty and fatty foods are available, the consumption levels tend to increase. Through the evolutionary theory, many of the industrialized nation’s eating habits have been interfered with. Many people are eating a lot of junk and also many of them suffer from eating disorders. Like all other species, people are genetically wired to adapt to the behaviors of their ancestors.

 

Theory Strengths, Shortcoming and Recommendations

Despite being used in many instances, evolutionary theory to explain behavior, for example, eating has faced criticisms. Most of these criticisms come from the proponents of the constructivist theory. One of the methodological strengths is the fact that its test ability hypothesis has an issue. From the issue of eating as explored above, how can it be tested that human carried some of the ancestor’s ideas of eating? Because of inability to test the hypothesis, it is a great challenge for the theory to pass in empirical science. When it comes to the conceptual limitation, the evolutionary theory also has issues that include mismatch.

According to the author, human used to live in Africa Savanna. In today’s world, people are living in a totally different environment especially the Australians. During the stay at Savanna Africa, protein and fat that could be very essential were never available and this case, craving for such foods were positively selected. The theory has many assumptions and guesses that are only based on few studies. Researchers should not generalize all studies using EP assumptions.

In the evolutionary perspective eating study, Laith (2016) argues that emotions in the body regulate eating. The variables, in this case, are coordinating mechanism and hunger. The study hypothesis is that coordinating mechanism affects one’s hunger. Because of the experience, the forefathers went through, people are adapted to consume more calorie dense foods that include SSS foods.  A survey method of research was used in this case where 114 participants were used.

 

 

Psychodynamic Perspective

History and Motivation towards Eating

The psychodynamic theory by Sigmund Freud started in 1856-1939 where it tried to come up with a treatment for psychological disorders (Westen, 2002). This theory rests on 3 key premises that include people’s actions being determined by thoughts.  Secondly, the theory believes that various mental events occurs on the outside of conscious awareness. The third major premises is the fact that mental processes conflict. Using the psychodynamic theory, eating behaviors is explained by the past experiences among other motivational forces that stem from inherited instincts, biological drives. Through the instincts, people try to balance a conflict that exists between personal needs and social requirements.

Motivation towards SSS Foods

When explaining eating, this perspective argues that it is motivated by unconscious motives that are largely inaccessible to consciousness. Another assumption towards eating is the fact that people’s childhood affects their behaviors. In this case, a person may like SSS foods because they were trained that way at a young age.

Theory Strengths, Shortcoming and Recommendation

One of the conceptual strength of the theory and explanation is that two sides of the nurture/nature debate are explored. In this case, eating and eating of the SSS foods are explained as something one learn but it can also be unconscious. Freud extensively explains how motivations that includes eating results from innate drives. Despite its strengths, this explanation is flawed methodologically in that case studies that are subjective cannot generalize the results. Methodologically, the theory in Unfalsifiable in that it is challenging to prove wrong. The theory should not entirely ignore mediational processes that include thinking entirely.

Cognitive Perspective

History and Eating Motivation

This is a theory that focuses on how people perceive, process and even retrieve information.  This perspective roots in experiments that were conducted by Wundt back in the late 19th Century (Westen, 2002).  According to this theory, a person’s behavior is controlled by his/ her thought processes.  For example, a person that thinks that some type is good for him/her, he /she will be enticed to eat those foods compared to someone who has a bad outlook on such foods.

Motivation towards SSS Foods

According to social cognitive theory by Albert Bandura, one’s environment may also affect his/her eating habits. For example, a child from a family that eats SSS foods will eventually adopt the habit.  On the other hand, families that practice beneficial nutrition behaviors tend to have children who model then behavior. In this case, eating is affected by one’s cognition.

Theory Strengths, Shortcoming and Recommendation

When it comes to methodological approach, the cognitive theory has many practical applications. When it comes to the conceptual strength, this theories heavily relies on a well-studied research. Despite its strengths, this perceptive has limitations when it comes to explaining eating habits.  One of the conceptual limitations is the fact that the theory ignoresother factors that may affect the eating habits. Another limitation is the fact that the theory refers to cognitive approaches that cannot be observed directly, in this case, it tends to rely highly on inferences that may prove challenging to measure.

To effectively understand eating motivations from the cognition perspective, a person should also consider other factors that may affect the eating behavior. Some of these factors may include personal issues. When it comes to studying, measuring the thought processes may be a challenge that may only be conducted through another theory. In such a case, an eclectic approach to understanding eating comes into place.

Eating and Eating SSS Foods Study Exploration

Eating Study

In a study that was conducted by Sibilia, hunger is motivated by cognition.  The variables in this study are cognition and eating behaviors. Sibilia uses case study where 365 students were used as a sample. Self-report questionnaires were also used.  The hypothesis, in this case, is that thoughts motivate eating.

SSS Foods Explanation

When it comes to overeating especially the SSS foods, the study argues that it comes from adaptation. People learn and finally adapt to eating SSS foods.  A survey, in this case, is used where the hypothesis is that people adapt to eating certain types of food. The variable, in this case, is eating SSS foods and cognition (Sibilia, 2010).

 

 

Behaviorist Perspective of Eating

History and Eating Motivation

This theory was pioneered by John Watson and B. F. Skinner and entirely focuses on the relationship that exists between observable behaviors and stimuli from the environment. Unlike the cognitive theory that explains human behavior through cognition, the behavioral theory argues that the human behavior can be understood without examining the internal elements that include thoughts and feelings (Westen, 2002). When it comes to explaining eating, this theory argues that people learn through conditioning. In this case, people are motivated to eat as a way of fulfilling a behavior. Westen (2002) that this conditioning occurs through the interaction with the environment.

Motivations towards SSS Foods

When explaining eating of SSS foods, expose to this food may lead a person to being addicted to such foods.  The response to environmental stimuli that may include the presence of food shapes the person’s eating habits. Another way eating SSS can be explained is through rewards and punishment. Since SSS foods and eating may feel good, people get motivated to eat.  Through reinforcement and punishment, learning does occur. Eating unpleasant foods may act as a put off to eating such foods. On the other hand, eating sweet foods may act as a reinforcement towards eating those foods.

Eating and SSS Study Exploration

In a study conducted by Meule and Vogele (2013), eating in most of the Western world is a rewarding behavior. This behavior is linked to mood and emotions.  In this study, eating and motivation are the main variables. The study hypothesis is the fact that eating is a rewarding behavior. The secondary research method is used where the authors use desktop research. In this study, the omnipresence of junk foods that include SSS foods results in consuming such food even when not hungry.

Theory Strengths, Shortcoming and Recommendation

Some of the strengths of this study are that it uses methods of scientific research. These methods are not only objective and measurable but they are also observable. Additionally, the explanation of conditioning, punishment and rewards fits in explains why people are motivated to eat. Despite its conceptual and methodological advantages, the theory has its own limitations. Despite its much reliance on behavior being learned, cognitive and biological elements largely affects a behavior. In this case, other elements that may affect a behavior are neglected.  To extensively explain human behavior especially, the theory should also consider paying attention to other factors that may affect a behavior. Despite one learning eating habits, a person’s cognition may affect his/her habits and people using this theory should note that.

Eating Study

According to this study, people are conditioned to eat that acts as a fulfilling habit. A selective review when it comes to reviewing the study related materials are used. The main variables in this study are behavior and the eating disorders.

SSS eating

The rewards of good feeling that one gets from eating SSS foods conditions them towards consuming such foods more and more. The variables are conditioning and eating disorders. Eating wrong or overeating in this case is reinforced by the good feeling (reward) (Williamson, White, York-Crowe and Stewart, 2004).

Maslow Perspective

History and Eating Motivation

Maslow Hierarchy of Needs Theory was proposed by Maslow in 1943. According to the Maslow hierarchy of needs theory, eating behaviors are motivated by the need to achieve certain needs before going to the others (Westen, 2002). In this theory, the deficient of then basic needs tend to motivate people and the urge gets stronger when the needs stay for long without being met. In this case, the more a person stays without eating the more they get hungry.

According to Maslow, people’s needs motivate their behavior and in this case, the overeating that is experienced in Australia is as a result of behavior and not physical hunger. The behavior of binge eating and overeating is usually driven by other needs. Fallatah & Syed (2018) explains that eating SSS foods is as a habit or a reaction to something that is emotional or situations. For example, stress, anxiety, boredom and anger may motivate one to overeat. In this case, eating becomes a habitual reaction.

Motivations towards SSS Foods

In explaining the eating the salt, sugar, and saturated-fat (SSS) fast foods, people as a result of a behavior and not physical hunger. Issues that include stress, anxiety among other unmet needs may lead people to overeat. Food acts as a motivator for people who have other issues that include depression and social isolation (Fallatah & Syed, 2018). Maslow is one of the theories that explain human behavior in a very simple way.  Through this theory, one can identify the needs and qualitative differences that exist between them. When it comes to a conceptual limitation, the Maslow of hierarchy needs theory cannot in any way be proved empirically. There is no way the level of satisfaction that people experience can be measured accurately before they can go to the next level.

Motivations towards SSS Foods

Eating SSS foods according to this theory is not as a result of physical hunger but as a behavior. Issues that include stress, anxiety among other unmet needs may lead people to eat SSS foods that gratify the body to some extent.  In this case, SSS foods act as a motivator.

Theory Strengths, Shortcoming and Recommendation

Despite the fact that the theory can effectively be used to explain how motivates to eat come about, it is empirically challenging to prove the point. The theory lacks a scientific banking and more studies should be conducted to examine the truth of the theory.

Eating and SSS Food Eating Study

According to this study, motivation largely affects one’s actions.  The variables in this study are motivations and behaviors. When it comes to hunger and eating, food acts as a good motivator of eating (Fallatah and Syed, 2018). This study used literature review where many past studies were explored in depth.  When it comes to eating SSS foods, it is taken as a motivator by the body in that various personal issues for example stress can motivate a person to eat SSS foods. When eaten, a person feels good.

 

 

Conclusion

People are motivated by biological and psychosocial needs to do various activities. In this case, motivation refers to a driving force that is behind every behavior. Through this driving force, people are motivated to pursue various activities while neglecting others. Studies show that people eat to minimize or reduce the internal tensions that are met when some psychological needs are not met. Maintaining a stable internal status requires one to eat. This paper has evaluated the five perspectives that explaining eating in Australian adults that include Evolutionary perspective (EP), psychodynamic perspective (PP), behaviorist perspective (BP), cognitive perspective (CP) and Hierarchy of needs perspective (HoNP).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

Al-Shawaf, L. (2016). The evolutionary psychology of hunger. NCBI Journal, 105(4), pp.591-595.

Fallatah, R & Syed, J. (2018). A critical review of Maslow hierarchy of needs theory. Journal of Employee Motivation. 19-42

Meule, A. and Vögele, C. (2013). The Psychology of Eating. Frontiers in Psychology, [online] 4(3), pp.204-215. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3635021/.

Sibilia, L. (2010).The Cognition of Hunger and Eating Behaviors. Psychological Topics, 19(2), 341-354. Available at http://web.b.ebscohost.com/ehost/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=0&sid=1361c112-4566-49d9-a249-7491f66d210a%40sessionmgr102

Westen, D. (2002). Psychology: Brain, behavior, & culture. New York, NY [u.a.: Wiley.

Williamson, D., White, M., York-Crowe, E. and Stewart, T. (2004). Cognitive-Behavioral Theories of Eating Disorders. Behavior Modification, [online] 28(6), 711-738. Available at: http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail/detail?vid=2&sid=458ef1de-0385-4571-a9dd-bf8c944b11b7%40sessionmgr4008&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#AN=14840252&db=a9h.

 

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