I have been reading posts from people believing that their weight problems is their own entire fault! Well is it?
(Extract from
http://www.ivanpavlov.com/ )
Conditioned vs. Innate Reflex
An innate reflex is an instinctive and unlearned reaction to a stimulus. Although we do not know the exact cause of it, yawning is an innate reflex, as it is seen in newborn infants as well as adults. It is believed that yawning occurs as the result of a change in physical state, from alertness to fatigue or as we awake from sleep. Sneezing is another example of an innate reflex, as it is the uncontrolled reaction to the introduction of foreign particles in one's nose, or a rapid change in temperature. Attempts to stifle a sneeze are often unsuccessful, as the involuntary reaction is already underway.
A conditioned reflex is learned, either through negative or positive stimuli. The fear of snakes is a learned reflex, as young children who would play with snakes and other reptiles with innocent fascination are soon taught to fear by example or stimuli i.e., a mother screams and pulls her child away from a harmless garter snake, reinforcing the gesture with a statement such as "You could have been bitten!"
Well we all have television and as Pavlov’s dogs where conditioned to salivate on the ringing of a bell, we are induced to believe that this food or that food is good for us.
So enter the adverts on the TV. In the UK adverts have to be truthful and accurate, but in most adverts the truth is very thinly spread, with words like can, could, might and may, all a copout’s for the truth.
In the 60’s sublimable advertising was used and later outlawed. So blanket advertising was introduced, now every few minutes we are told that this or that (usually) frankinfood is time saving, stick it in the microwave (your time is precious)
Its lo-fat so its good for you (no mention of added sugar) and the pester factor, “aim the adds at the kids” peer pressure and lots, lots more.
Advertisers have no morals; all that they care about is their own huge salaries, as with the processed food manufactures profit is their God, and they know that advertising “PAYS” (look at what it costs to advertise when the super bowl is on TV) they don’t pay that out for nothing, they pay up because it will reach millions of potential customers and more profit.
So what I am saying? Well you may have put the food in your mouth that caused the weight gain but where you conditioned thro the media advertising to believe it was ok to do so? Therefore it is not your fault; you have been conditioned to do so
A conditioned reflex is learned, either through negative or positive stimuli.