섭식장애의 인지 모형에 따르면 신체상 지각과 판단에서의 인지처리편향인 지엽적 정보처리가 장애 발달과 유지에 주요한 역할을 한다. 본 연구에서는 역위효과를 활용하여 얼굴, 신체와 일반(집) 자극의 미세한 차이 지각에 있어 인지적 편향이 존재하는지를 확인하고 Navon의 실험 과제를 활용하여 섭식 증상과 관련된 기본적 정보처리 방식을 확인하였다. 여성 대학생 96명을 대상으로 섭식 및 신체이형 증상을 측정하고 실험을 진행하였다. 시각 변별 과제에서는 얼굴, 신체, 일반(집) 자극의 동일 혹은 상이쌍이 역방향으로 동시 제시되었고 두 자극의 동일성 여부를 판단하게 하였다. Navon 실험 과제에서는 짧은 시간 동안 제시된 큰 문자를 이루고 있는 작은 문자가 무엇인지 보고 반응하게 하였다. 상관분석 결과, 섭식 증상과 하위요인인 신체 불만족이 얼굴 자극 판단의 정확도와 유의한 정적 상관을 보였다. 특히 신체 불만족의 경우 신체이형 증상을 공변인으로 통제한 이후에도 얼굴 자극 판단의 정확도와 유의한 정적 상관관계임이 확인되었다. 마지막으로 본 연구의 의의 및 한계점과 후속 연구의 방향성을 논의하였다.
Cognitive models of eating disorders posit that local processing, which describes cognitive biases in body perception and judgment, plays a major role in the development and maintenance of eating symptoms. This study investigated the presence of cognitive biases in perceiving subtle differences in facial, body, and object(house) stimuli from the inversion effect standpoint. Using Navon's experimental task, a basic information processing skill related to eating symptoms was also examined. Ninety six female college students reported their eating and body dysmorphic symptoms using self-report scales. In a visual discrimination experiment, identical or different pairs of facial, body, and object(house) stimuli were presented in an inverted direction. The participants were then asked to indicate whether they perceived the stimuli to be identical. In a Navon's task, the participants were asked to view and react to small letters that compromise large letters; these letters were presented within a short duration. Results revealed that the levels of eating symptoms were positively correlated with the individual accuracy of facial stimuli discrimination. The body dissatisfaction, the lower factor of eating symptoms, was positively correlated with the accuracy of facial stimuli. This result was statistically significant after controlling for the body dysmorphic level of the participants. This suggests that individuals with high eating symptoms, especially high body dissatisfaction are likely to use local processing on symptom-related stimuli. Based on the results, the clinical implications, limitations of this study and the direction of follow-up studies were discussed.
Cognitive models of eating disorders posit that local processing, which describes cognitive biases in body perception and judgment, plays a major role in the development and maintenance of eating symptoms. This study investigated the presence of cognitive biases in perceiving subtle differences in facial, body, and object(house) stimuli from the inversion effect standpoint. Using Navon's experimental task, a basic information processing skill related to eating symptoms was also examined. Ninety six female college students reported their eating and body dysmorphic symptoms using self-report scales. In a visual discrimination experiment, identical or different pairs of facial, body, and object(house) stimuli were presented in an inverted direction. The participants were then asked to indicate whether they perceived the stimuli to be identical. In a Navon's task, the participants were asked to view and react to small letters that compromise large letters; these letters were presented within a short duration. Results revealed that the levels of eating symptoms were positively correlated with the individual accuracy of facial stimuli discrimination. The body dissatisfaction, the lower factor of eating symptoms, was positively correlated with the accuracy of facial stimuli. This result was statistically significant after controlling for the body dysmorphic level of the participants. This suggests that individuals with high eating symptoms, especially high body dissatisfaction are likely to use local processing on symptom-related stimuli. Based on the results, the clinical implications, limitations of this study and the direction of follow-up studies were discussed.
