The following essay will focus on the conceptual tools – the elaboration model and the “Focal relationship” introduced by Aneshensel (2013) that have served as useful tools to analyze a plethora of sociological relationships. In this essay, I aim to analyze the mental health disorder anorexia nervosa, by using the elaboration model which can be used to predict the effects that advertising will have on mental health, and how it can affect adolescent attitudes and behaviors towards themselves. This model will also be useful to support the eating habits of adolescent girls and their perceptions of body image having been exposed to stereotypical mass media depictions (Boyce 2014).
A "focal relationship" as defined by Aneshensel (2013: 11) refers to the relationship between two of the most integral variables – an independent variable and dependent variable that contributes to the hypothesis of a study. This focal relationship then becomes the foundation of the whole theory (Aneshensel 2013: 11). However, focusing on one relationship does not entail that the hypothesis itself is restricted to one relationship because it is vital to note that most theories pertaining to sociology are "multifactorial" and often incorporate dependent variables (Aneshensel 2013: 11). Likewise, the concept of a focal relationship serves to be useful because of the variety of explanations that will make a theory particularly "unfocused" or deviating from the anticipated hypothesis (Aneshensel 2013: 11). Thus, according to Aneshensel (2013), research that follows one focal relationship is more likely to give a more affluent way to deal with testing that hypothesis as opposed to giving the same amount of emphasis to other various connections (Aneshensel 2013: 11). Overall, a focal relationship serves to be more useful as the number of factors expands in the research study (Aneshensel 2013: 12). For instance, a sociologist might be interested in conducting research pertaining to the correlation that body weight portrayed by contemporary media has with that of Anorexia Nervosa. The interest in these two variables will serve as the basis of their focal relationship and will carry their research forward. The first step that the sociologist would take is to determine if the focal relationship is feasible by determining if media depictions and Anorexia Nervosa may be related to one another and to elaborate how the variables are empirically associated according to their hypothesis (Aneshensel 2013).
In the elaboration model, the focal relationship is present because third factors are utilized to elucidate one essential connection. The elaboration model as described by Aneshensel (2013:9) is a method of data analysis that enables us to make an empirical connection linking two variables by incorporating a third variable in order to describe a theoretical interpretation. This model, therefore, explains the different ways that stimuli is processed, and how this contributes to their outcomes of an individual’s change in attitude. Likewise, the elaboration model, as an explanatory model, has been useful because it provides the fundamental elements that are needed to observe data for the purpose of logical analysis (Aneshensel 2013, 9). However, while benefited in other applications, the model is most acknowledged in examples where "cause and effect" have been an issue (Aneshensel 2013:10). More importantly, the central focus of the elaboration model demonstrates whether an "empirical" relationship between two factors—one assigned as the "independent variable" and alternate as the "dependent variable"—speaks to a relationship and if it has a causal connection between the variables (Aneshensel 2013:10). Likewise, by analyzing the relationship between these two variables and other factors that come into play, this model will help to evaluate the extent to which a hypothesis has been influenced. As Aneshensel (2013) contended, it is important to note that these variables are likely to influence how we attend to and receive a message, and all of these characteristics but especially the dependent and independent characteristics play an important role in the elaboration model which is a model that tries to explain how our attitudes form and how they can be influenced. For instance, when a third variable is introduced to the two-variable association i.e– media depiction of body weight and Anorexia Nervosa, adding a third variable will help a researcher analyze the extent to which the association of media with Anorexia remains consistent despite the interference of other variables (antecedent etc.) such as low self-esteem that may also lead to anorexia.
Elaborating on the focal relationship between media and Anorexia, first, an exclusionary strategy is established in order to rule out other possible alternatives such as race, age etc. Then, an inclusionary strategy is established to determine the variable that leads to anorexia and other factors that contributed and triggered an individual to reach this stage. In this case, media depictions pertaining to body weight can be posited as causing anorexia because it would not be as impactful if a teenage girl was from an underdeveloped country with limited or no access to social media or even television. Likewise, the focal dependent variable: negative body image attitude (Withers 2004) refers to feelings of low self-esteem because of various stereotypical body image depictions in the media. Withers (2004: 116) research depicts how teenage girls reacted after a videotape intervention pertaining to body image and how this has impacted their personal lives in the short and long run. Overall, being unable to meet the stereotypical “supermodel” body image as depicted by the media, resulted in negative body image attitudes and evoked feelings of having to lose weight drastically to fit into these stereotypical images. Withers (2004:118) reasons that adolescent girls who live in an environment that has strong depictions of body image will inevitably feel more pressured to conform to “thinness ideals” and will motivate them to change to the point where they will be diagnosed with anorexia.
Evaluating the elaboration model in depth, when an adolescent girl watches a model give dietary advice on a television program, what distinct characteristics will the adolescent girl pay attention to? In this case, in order to evaluate the model’s dietary advice how does an individual come to be persuaded or not persuaded by it? According to the elaboration model we process information based on two possible variables – the independent and dependent variable. Before we can even consider information or be persuaded by it, that information is first filtered by our own perceptions of it. Thus, if an individual personally found that the models to be insightful, in that case, the elaboration model would say that the individual was leaning towards the independent variable. Similarly, an individual disinterested in the advice will filter the information before the individual was even able to process it. The next stage of the elaboration model where antecedent variables, intervening variables, and consequent variables are taken into account, leads to deeper processing of the content. Subsequently, individuals disinterested in the topic generally focus on the message less and instead, they pay attention to other superficial characteristics such as how their body would change if they limited food intake, or how they would be able to fit into clothes they were never able to or how they would live up to a model aesthetic without particularly focusing on whether or not those facts were backed up with empirical evidence. Likewise, because they pay attention to these superficial characteristics they are unable to process the information in a meaningful way. Using the elaboration model, we are then able to determine how an individual’s attitude towards food intake and body image may change depending on various other variables (Aneshensel 2013: 13). Similarly, when an adolescent girl deeply processes the information in a commercial that promotes weight loss, this then serves to persuade her towards a message possibly creating a lasting change in her body image (Withers 2004).
Overall, in general, because the average woman is larger compared to the typical editorial model, women are more susceptible to feeling negatively towards their own body image especially if they are being exposed to stereotypical images on social media frequently (Boyce 2014). Contrastingly, men, in general, do not pay close attention to contemporary fashion trends or overemphasized masculine depictions. They are emotionally distressed less, and experience negative body image attitudes significantly less than women but nonetheless will still experience body image attitudes and are not immune to such effects. As mentioned by Aneshensel (2013: 21), men are more likely to express their anger or emotions in other ways. Thus, the focal relationship is found among women more so. The mass media is thus known for influencing body dissatisfaction and comparison which is ultimately expected to trigger eating disorders (Boyce 2014). Similarly, according to Boyce (2014) women who have had concerns about their appearance previously will consistently display negative effects.
All this to say, I believe that research conducted in the field of sociology pertaining to eating disorders would benefit the community as a whole, in that, in the near future the “taboo” that is associated with eating disorders or other mental health issues will likely be dispelled and supported more so with empirical evidence. Similarly, as stated by Withers (2004) it would be useful to analyze other components such as the format of content presented by the media, and message content. And research attitude changes to further the understanding of how adolescent attitudes change as they develop and are still exposed to contemporary media. Our society will essentially, benefit from knowing its repercussions backed by research. Likewise, the actual mental illness itself is more often than not, taken as a serious mental illness without considering treatment facilitates and programs that are geared towards these disorders. Mental illness may take away the life an individual deserves to live, and it is important to note that living with an eating disorder is not “living”, especially when it impacts family wellness and the surrounding community.