A2- Psychlogical approache to health, wellbeing and illness

Question 1

Biological Influence

Genetic Predisposition

Answer 1

• A particular gene varaition/mutation or family history can make an indeividual suspectible tp an illness e.g. certain variations of the BRCA1 genes greatly increase a persons chance of getting breast cancer.
• Genes have been linked with physical illnesses e.g. obesity and psychological illnesses e.g. schizophrenia.
• Environmental modifications e.g. regular health screening can reduce the risk in peope with a genetic predisposition.

Question 2

Biological Influence

Neuorotranmitters

Answer 2

• Neurotranasmitter are chemical messengers that relay messages around the nervous system, they communicate at synapses between neurons. Imbalances are associated with symptoms of ill health e.g. depression.
• there are excitatory neurotranmitters e.g. dopamine (addiction), adrenaline (blood pressure) and glutamate (sleep) and inhibitory neurotranmitters e.g. GABA (anxiety), glycine (aggression) and serotonin (depression).

Question 3

Behaviourist approaches

Cues

Answer 3

external events that prompt behaviour.

They can lead to healthy behaviours (e.g. having your blood pressure checked after seeing a van at a health fair) or unhealthy behaviours (e.g. asking a friend for a cigarette after seeing them holding a lighter).

Question 4

Behaviourist approaches

Operant conditioning

Answer 4

• Positive reinforcement is increasing the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated through the use of rewards. This can lead to healthy behaviours (e.g. going back to the gym because you receive compliments about how you look after working out) or unhealthy behaviours (e.g. drinking alcohol because of the elevated confidence you experience).
• Negative reinforcement is the removal of an unpleasant stimulus which increases the likelihood of a behaviour being repeated. This can lead to healthy behaviours (e.g. not smoking to avoid feelings of fear/guilt about lung damage) or unhealthy behaviours (e.g. overeating to remove feelings of stress).

Question 5

Behaviourist approaches

Operant conditioning to encourage and incentivise behaviour

Answer 5

Healthcare professionals e.g. dentists, doctors, nurses, etc. giving stickers, lollies, etc. after visits.

Question 6

Social learning approach

Effects of parental and peer role models on healthy and unhealthy behaviour

Answer 6

• Parents and peers can act as role models and demonstrate healthy behaviour (modelling). This is especially effective if the observer identifies with the model e.g. mum says to son ‘Daddy grew big and strong by eating green beans’. Role models can also model unhealthy behaviour for the person to imitate e.g. peers smoking.
• Vicarious reinforcement may also play a role e.g. a child wants the social status that their peer has from smoking so they start smoking too

Question 7

Social learning approach

Role models in health education

Answer 7

Young people may identify with positive health role models (e.g. Joe Wicks) becauRole models in health educationse of their fame, wealth, etc. and so they imitate their healthy behaviour (e.g. exercise).

Question 8

Cognitive approach

Feelings of stress…

Answer 8

Feelings of stress, anxiety and boredom can lead to healthy behaviours (e.g. going to the gym to ‘blow off some steam’) or unhealthy behaviours (e.g. binge eating when bored)

Question 9

Cognitive approach

Other health problems…

Answer 9

Other health problems play a role in healthy behaviours (e.g. taking up running after having a heart attack) and/or unhealthy behaviour (e.g. turning to alcohol as a coping mechanism as being diagnosed with a terminal illness)

Question 10

Cognitive approach

Cognitive dissonance

Answer 10

Cognitive dissonance is a mental conflict when behaviours and beliefs do not align. To alleviate feelings of unease, tension and discomfort an individual may make healthy choices (e.g. ‘I am giving up smoking because I always feeling guilty after a cigarette’) or unhealthy behaviours (e.g. ‘I am not giving up smoking because then I will put on weight and face obesity-related health problems’).

Question 11

Cognitive Approach

Professional biases

Answer 11

Professional biases in diagnosing and treating individuals may lead to some people receiving inferior healthcare (e.g. black women are more likely to die after being diagnosed with breast cancer, women are less likely to receive cardiac interventions for CHD and problems are instead attributed to stress/anxiety and LGBTQ people might not receive appropriate care if heteronormative standards are used e.g. assuming a woman only has sex with men when taking a sexual health history).