A1-A3 Flashcards
What is the biomedical definition of health?
This definition views health and illness in terms of physiological or biological factors. It defines illness as a physical disease diagnosed by a doctor and is treated with physical methods e.g drugs or surgery
What is the biopsychosocial definition of health and stress?
This definition suggests that health & illness is the result of several interacting factors: Biological factors eg genes & neurochemistry, Psychological / behavioural characteristics eg stress & attitudes
Social environment eg family & culture.
What is stress?
Stress is a physiological & psychological state of arousal that arises when we do
not believe that we have the ability to cope with a perceived threat
What is meant by physiological addiction?
Involves substance use refers to drugs e.g cocaine, alcohol, smoking
What is meant by behavioural addiction?
Gambling and gaming
What are Griffiths six components of addiction?
- physical and psychological dependence
- Tolerance
- Withdrawal
- Relapse
- Conflict
- Mood alteration
What is genetic predisposition?
The increased likelihood of developing a disease because of a persons genes
These genes may contribute to the development of a disease but do not directly cause it
What is a neurotransmitter?
They are chemicals that allow communication between neurons, in most people they are in balance but for some they can become unbalanced affecting their behaviour
What is serotonin? And what do they play a key role in?
It is a chemical that carries messages between nerve cells in the brain throughout your body
They play a key role in body functions e.g mood, sleep and digestion
If serotonin levels are too low or high they can cause physical and psychological health problems.
Link between mental health and neurotransmitters?
High levels of dopamine are associated with happiness and optimism.
Depression has been linked to low levels of serotonin,one cause may be genetic where people inherit a gene which causes lower levels of serotonin
Neurochemistry and smoking:
What is the process?
- Neurons in the area of brain (VTA) have receptors on their surface which respond to dopamine
- Dopamine is brains pleasure and reward chemical so nicotine molecules are ALSO able to attach to dopamine
- When a smoker smokes cigarette nicotine molecules reach dopamine receptors quickly
- This triggers the release of dopamine in a nearby brain area called nucleus accumbens (NA)
- The feeling of pleasure is rewarding due to the dopamine release
- The pleasure from the dopamine release rewards the smoking behaviour so the smoker continues
Evaluation of the Biological Approach:
STRENGTHS
- provides clear predictions that can be scientifically tested
- they have real life applications
- it shows that genes predispose people to have health and ill health but the environment is what triggers them
- Has also lead to ways of improving health e.g physical activity to treat mild depression instead of depression drugs
What does the social learning theory suggest ?
- claims that behaviours are learned through the observation of who they share contact with.
- demonstrates the importance of the family in the transmission of gambling behaviour
Evaluation of learning approach and health behaviours
STRENGTHS:
-modelling can explain how healthy and unhealthy behaviours develop
E.g study showed children are more likely to try a new food if they see an adult also see it
Evaluation of learning approach
WEAKNESS
Some role models in healthy educations are in effective as not all nurses and GPs are role models of healthy behaviours e.g obese nurse means they have less credibility to give advice for someone to change their lifestyle
A2: How can an alcohol addiction be explained in terms of cognitive approach?
- Alcohol addiction can be explained through trauma which may lead to a mental health disorder
- The disorder is accompanied by emotional distress so they may use alcohol to relieve these symptoms
- often used by people which anxiety as it has a relaxing effect
-someone with depression may use cocaine to boost self-esteem
-withdrawal adds to distress so solution is to indulge in the behaviour
What is cognitive dissonance?
Refers to a situation involving conflictin attitudes, beliefs or behaviours
Produces mental discomfort leading to alteration in attitude, beliefs or behaviours to reduce the discomfort
What are some signs of cognitive dissonance?
- feeling uncomfortable before doing something or making a decision
-feeling embarrassed of action and trying to hide from other people what you have done
A2: Examples where cognitive dissonance may happen
-smoking when you are aware of health effects
- eating meat whilst thinking of themself as an animal lover
- promoting a behaviour e.g exercise knowing you don’t do it yourself
A2: How might people reject cognitive dissonance?
They may limit their exposure to new information that does not align with their existing beliefs
They may find a way to justify the behaviour which conflicts with their beliefs e.g smoking and knowing its bad for your health but concluding that it must be ok because it helps you socialise with other people
A2 : Evaluation of cognitive approach
STRENGTH
The cognitive approach can lead to positive health- related behaviours, if you understand your behaviour you can change it.
E.G instead of responding to stress by comfort eating you can identify you response and make decision to find a different response such as speaking to a friend
A3: What does the Health Belief Model aim to explain?
What factors affect unhealthy and healthy behaviours?
- Aims to explain why people do or do not engage in healthy behaviours
- Perceived seriousness(how serious are the consequences?)
Perceived susceptibility (how likely someone is to get the illness?)
Cost-benefit analysis (what are the advantages and disadvantages of taking the action?)
Evaluation of the Health belief model
STRENGTH PRACTICAL USES:
- it has been useful in developing practical interventions to change behaviours
- suggests that the HBM can explain why people engage in health behaviours
