Health Psychology

Question 1

List the 3 health behaviours and an example for each.

Answer 1

Health behaviour: behaviours to prevent disease.
E.g. eating healthy.

Illness behaviours: behaviours to seek how to get better. E.g. going to Dr.

Sick role behaviours: behaviours to get better. E.g. taking meds.

Question 2

What is unrealistic optimism?

Answer 2

False belief that you are not susceptible to the disease despite damaging behaviours.

Question 3

Describe the 4 areas of unrealistic optimism

Answer 3

Lack of personal experience with the problem.

Belief that the problem is preventable by personal action.

Belief that if the problem hasn’t occurred by now, it never will.

Belief that the problem is infrequent or rare.

Question 4

Explain the health belief model.

Answer 4

To make a change, a person must:

a. Believe they are susceptible.
b. Believe it has serious consequences.
c. Believe that taking action reduces susceptibility.
d. Believe that benefits of taking action outweigh costs.

Question 5

What contributes to a person making a change, according to the health belief model?

Answer 5

Cues to action (internal or external.)

Question 6

Explain the theory of planned behaviour and what it is influenced by.

Answer 6

The best indicator of behaviour is intention, which is fed into by:

• A person’s attitude to the behaviour.
• The perceived pressures to undertake the behaviour or not (subjective norms.)
• Person’s perceived ability to be able to make the behaviour change.

Question 7

What are the critiques for the health belief model?

Answer 7

Alternative factors may predict behaviour such as outcome expectancy and self-efficacy (not just the 4 areas they mention.)

• Does not consider influence of emotion on behaviour.
• No differentiation between first time or repeated behaviours.

Question 8

What are the critiques for the theory of planned behaviour?

Answer 8

• Lack of time element and direction.
• Doesn’t take into account emotion - just what a person would rationally choose if not affected by emotion.
• Doesn’t consider habits and routines.

Question 9

Describe the transtheoretical/stages of change model

Answer 9

• Precontemplation.
• Contemplation.
• Preparation.
• Action.
• Maintenance.

Can relapse at any point.

Question 10

What are the critiques for the transtheoretical/stages of change model?

Answer 10

• Not everyone moves through every stage, some move between or skip.
• doesn’t take into account factors such as social norms or cultural influences.

Question 11

Describe the social norms theory

Answer 11

Since humans are inherently group oriented, perceived social norms are the biggest factor in behaviour change.

Question 12

What are the critiques of the social norms theory?

Answer 12

Will not be effective if the truth does not support the social norm i.e. that they shouldn’t be obese, but lots of people are.

Question 13

Explain motivational interviewing

Answer 13

A counselling approach for initiating behaviour change by getting rid of a person’s ambivalence to the area.

Question 14

Explain nudging/choice architecture

Answer 14

Make the environment so that the best option is the easiest