A2: Psychological Approaches To Health, Wellbeing And Illness Flashcards
What is genetic predisposition?
Increased likelihood or chance of developing a particular disease due to the presence of one or more gene mutations and/or family history that indicates an increased risk of the disease.
What can reduce the risk in people with a genetic predisposition?
Environmental modifications (e.g. regular health screenings)
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers that transmit a signal from a neuron across the synapse to target a cell. Two types: excitatory and inhibitory.
Examples of excitatory neurotransmitters?
Dopamine (addiction)
Adrenaline (blood pressure)
Glutamate (sleep)
Examples of inhibitory neurotransmitters?
GABA (anxiety)
Glycine (aggression)
Serotonin (depression)
What is a cue?
A stimulus, event or object that serves to guide behaviour.
What is operant conditioning?
A form of learning in which behaviour is shaped and maintained by its consequences: reinforcement (positive/negative) or punishment (positive/negative).
What is positive reinforcement?
The reinforcer is a pleasant consequence of the behaviour making the behaviour more likely to happen again.
What is negative reinforcement?
The reinforcer is the removal of an unpleasant stimulus, which makes the behaviour more likely to be repeated.
What is social learning theory?
A theory of learning process and social behaviour which proposes that new behaviours can be acquired by observing and imitating others.
What is a role model?
A person whose behaviour, example or success is or can be emulated by others, especially by younger people.
What is cognitive dissonance?
A mental conflict when behaviours and beliefs do not align.
What are cognitive biases?
A systematic error in thinking that occurs when people are processing and interpreting information in the world around them and affects the decisions and judgements that they make.
