Pro Ana

1. Pro Ana Polly, Kamila and Imogen

2. What is Pro Ana? Pro Ana is the name given to websites that actively promote anorexia nervosa. When googled there are over 17,800,000 results. The sites are often very persuasive and contain forums, images (known as “thinspiration”) and blogs for support of those suffering from anorexia. In their own way they function as a powerful social group. These sights can be shocking upon witness and can be execute great pressure on those who access them. Pro Ana also emphasises anorexia not as a disease, but as a lifestyle.

3. How they function as an in-group in accordance with Tajfel’s social identity theory? • Social Categorisation: Sufferers of eating disorders such as anorexia will often already categorise people, including themselves, into two groups- “FAT” and “SKINNY”

4. How they function as an in-group in accordance with Tajfel’s social identity theory? • Social Identification: Self mutilating addictions, such as anorexia, are often very secretive things. Sufferers feel unable to confide in friends and family about what they are doing to themselves due to mainly embarrassment. Whereas, Pro Ana sites provide a peer group who are both understanding and encouraging. Thus members begin to confide in and associate themselves with other members as an in-group. This furthers the eating disorder with pressure to conform. Pro Ana sites are, in this way, a vicious cycle.

5. How they function as an in-group in accordance with Tajfel’s social identity theory? • Social Comparison: Sufferers will already see themselves negatively in comparison to other “desirable” bodies. This is furthered by the nature of these sites which ultimately act as both a powerful in and out group. Members will often compare themselves to others in the group which can lead to negativity both towards others and themselves.

7. “Tips and Tricks” • Try to sleep late on weekends you'll miss lunch and breakfastFeel your hunger don't ignore it You'll get a sense of euphoria eventually.Remember nothing tastes as good as thin feels an dif you feel hungry it meets your losing weight • Always throw away your food after youve had 3 bites maxthrow it out dont leave it on the counter or else you'll be tempted • Eat in front of a mirror the site willl make you feel ill (or have a nervous breakdown forcing you into starvation for days)When your feeling hungry curl into a ball sitting up your disgusting rolls will bunch and those thoughts will go away

8. “Tips and Tricks” • just dont go downstairs! stay in bed, read a book, look at ana sites. this is what i do. if i start to get bored or hungry, i will clean my room, wash my sheets, my sisters sheets, anything. if ireeeally get hungry ill clean the bathroom. theres really no eating after that

9. “Tips and Tricks” • watching supersize vssuperskinny is great. You see exactly what you hate (FAT) and what you want (SKINNY) in one go.

10. “Tips and Tricks” • just eat an apple or a fruit you like so you have something to look forward to at the end of the day..but believe me, 90 cal will tempt you to eat more than that...if i were you just fast, eat nothing , hard for the first 3 days but believe me after the 3 days, HUNGER WILL DISAPPEAR. its proven, even google it.. i did it once

11. “Tips and Tricks Hi girls, it's nearly xmas and who wants to look fat in their party dresses? Or like a pig over the party snacks? Not me that's for sure. I'm purposing a hard challenge to get us to a goal weight by the 1st of December and then hopefully carry it on until just before xmas. Anyway, the challenge is to lose 15 pounds by 1st December. The reason I'm hoping to get myself and everyone else motivated is that I want us to post a pic of your bodies on the 1st of December to see who lost the most weight and also so when we want to binge we can think.... **** I have to post a pick of myself on 1st December. If you decide to do this challenge then you MUST stick to it as I'll be making a note of everyone who does it and expect them to keep with it even if you have a slip, WE CAN GET THIN! We are all beautiful girls just waiting for our best bodies to get out. I'd like to have weigh-ins on this thread three times a week, mondays, wednesdays and saturdays. If you want to join put your stats on this thread including goal for December 1st. The winner will get a compliment for all of us on this thread and obviously the satisfaction of beating all of us! Also please post what diet/exercise plan your doing so we can all see which ones are effective. For the very committed a daily food diary will also get points.Good luck ladies xoxo

12. The Truly Negative • OMFG. PEOPLE LIKE U PISS ME OFF. U STUPID ******* LITTLE GIRL U DON'T HAVE AN EATING DISORDER, UR JUST TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT AND THINK U CAN GET "ANA" OR "MIA" FROM THIS SITE? **** OFF. We don't need wanarexics like u here, eating disorders are hell, not diets.

13. The Truly Negative • first of all, i never said i had an eating disorder. second of all i don't want to have any of those ******* diseases and screw up my life and seems to me like all of you fat asses are ALL wanarexics due to the fact that you overweight people starve yourselfs because for some reason you think you are getting something good out of it. turns out, your NOT. so why don't you shut the **** up because you don't know what you are talking about

14. These students used what they had learned in Social Psychology to explain Pro Anna. Use what you know from Unit 3 and the Learning approach to do the Same.

15. The Learning Approach • Social Learning Theory • Classical Conditioning • Operant Conditioning