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Anorexia nervosa

Levels of causation

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Abstract

Anorexia nervosa remains an enigma among Western cultures. Various causal explanations have been offered, encompassing biological, psychological, and sociocultural models. These explanations, however, focus on the immediate or proximal mechanisms of causation. A more thorough understanding of anorexia nervosa can be achieved by understanding the relationship between these factors and ultimate causation, the level of explanation which deals with individual reproductive fitness. This paper reviews the biological, psychological, sociocultural, and evolutionary models and indicates a necessary synthesis between proximate and ultimate levels of causation in examining the anorexia nervosa puzzle.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anthropology, Emory University, 30322, Atlanta, GA

    Vicki K. Condit

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  1. Vicki K. Condit
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Vicki Condit is pursuing graduate studies in the Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta. Her main interest is nonhuman primate behavior. She will be conducting her dissertation fieldwork at the Tana River Primate Reserve, Kenya, focusing on male-infant interactions in yellow baboons.

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Condit, V.K. Anorexia nervosa. Human Nature 1, 391–413 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734052

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02734052

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