Question

Besides the influences of cartoon and movie characters, how might observational learning impact what a child chooses to eat?

On the subject of the eating habits of teenagers and adults? Can you think of a food product or products that these age groups might be influenced to try or like as the result of influential figures (i.e. celebrities or professional athletes, etc.)

Answer 1

As social learning and observational learning principles suggests, children’s eating habits also are molded through what they see and experience in their environment. Being one of the interesting activity of children, cartoons and movies influence their eating habits. Besides this and more importantly interaction in the primary circles shapes children's eating preferences. Children are bound to observe what their parents and extended family members /parent's friends eat and hence will be curious to try that out and in the long term finding an affinity to such foods and eating patterns. Also as important is peer influence which starts from play school days and continue through adolescence and then into adulthood . As a group member, children and adolescents will choose what the group value . This include eating preferences of food items and eating patterns. At some point in time they may prefer junk food because their peers attach value to it. Also hero worship can influence eating preference for the adolecent. For example a teenager might be preferring Domino's Pizza just because his/her favorite actor prefers that. But observational learning doesn't influence in a direct manner. Attitude created either through parents/friend circle/educational institutions etc act as an intervening variable and influence through positive or negative valence it attach to what being observed. For example an adolescent or adult with positive attitude towards sports and health will prefer to eat healthy despite the junk food available to them. Or they may choose to go for food supplements which professional athletes use or suggests through advertisements. Not all positive valance lead to positive actions or negative valance leads to negative actions. A person influenced with religion might develop a negative valance towards alcohol consumption and this can lead him to eat right avoiding binge drinking. Or an adolescent girl having a positive valance towards fashion might be influenced by a lean super model and might prefer to eat less so as to remain lean. It may even act as a predisposing factor in the development of an eating disorder like anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa in such conducive environments. So to a great extent observational learning influence eating habits.