Sampling the inner experience of bulimic and other individuals

This study investigated the inner experience of five bulimic subjects, ages 18 to 56 years, using the descriptive experience sampling method (Hurlburt, 1990). Subjects were signaled at random intervals by a programmed beeping device, asked to "freeze" any inner events, such as thoughts, images, or feelings, at the moment of the beep, and to record this experience in a notebook. Subjects met with investigators within 24 hours to discuss each sampled moment in detail. Investigators then examined subjects' descriptions for emerging salient characteristics. All bulimic subjects reported multiple inner events ongoing simultaneously, a characteristic seldom found, using this method, among nonbulimic subjects. Some bulimics reported that they put thoughts "on hold" while they processed others--another unusual characteristic. Additionally, the bulimics exhibited confusion in differentiating thoughts from feelings, thus sometimes thinking their feelings and feeling their thoughts. Characteristics of the bulimic subjects' inner experience support past findings that bulimics are emotionally turbulent, depressed, and somatically preoccupied. Two nonbulimic individuals were also investigated using the same procedure.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Psychology

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Year

1992

Author dc:creator

• Doucette, Stephanie Anne

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://oasis.library.unlv.edu/rtds/231

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:oasis.library.unlv.edu:rtds-1230