Chapter 1 - Introduction to Health Psychology

Question 0

Health psychologists are concerned with:

Answer 0

• health promotion and maintenance
• prevention and treatment of illnesses
• etiology and correlates of health, illness, and dysfunction
• health care system and formulation of health policy

Question 1

What is health?

Answer 1

A complete state of physical and emotional well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 2

Briefly describe the different historical views of the mind-body relationship. (1)

Answer 2

• Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in focusing on hygiene, food regulations, and the Humoral Theory (Hippocrates)
• Middle Ages - it was believed that illnesses were punishment from God and that treatment involved bodily torture or good works

Question 3

Briefly describe the different historical views of the mind-body relationship. (2)

Answer 3

• Renaissance - scientific inquiry and Cartesian Dualism

- Post-Renaissance - technological advancements and germ theory

Question 4

Describe the Biomedical Model:

Answer 4

• illness has a biological cause
• disease is caused by a pathogen
• mind-body dualism
• health is the absence of disease

Question 5

Describe the process behind the psychosomatic/behavioral medicine:

Answer 5

Mental states create physiological changes which may result in disease (ex. - stomach ulcers)

Question 6

Describe the Biopsychosocial model:

Answer 6

Health is affected by a combination of biological influence (ex.- genetics), psychological factors (ex.- personality), and social factors (ex.- family environment).