L54: Why We Cling To Bad Health Habits

Question 1

Factors affecting likelihood of preventive / health behaviour

Answer 1

1. Cognitive factors
   - Vulnerability (perceived susceptibility + perceived severity)
   - Triggers to action (internal stimuli + external stimuli)
   - Perceived benefits + costs
   - Health motivation (incentives)
   - Perceived control (external control + internal control)
   - Self-efficacy (estimate of self-ability)
   - Risk perception + Unrealistic optimism
   —> comparative optimism / optimistic bias:
   —> belief that problem has not emerged / rare
   —> lack of experience
   —> belief that own action can prevent problem
2. Situation factors
   - Subjective norms
   —> social norms perception
   —> pressure
   —> evaluation whether the individual is motivated to comply with pressure
   - Situation barriers (financial support)

Question 2

Transtheoretical model (TTM) / Stages-of-change model

Answer 2

5 stages:

1. Pre-contemplation —> not intended to make changes
   - personal concerns, environmental pressure, motivation
   - task: need to increase awareness, envision possibility of change
   - goal: serious consideration of change
2. Contemplation (reward analysis) —> considering a change
   - decisional balance, motivation, cognitive processes
   - task: analysis pros and cons
   - goal: serious consideration of change
3. Preparation —> making small changes
   - cognitive processes, decision making
   - task: increase commitment, create change plan
   - goal: action plan implemented
4. Action —> actively engaging in new behaviour
   - behavioural process, self-efficacy
   - task: implement strategies, sustaining commitment in face of difficulties
   - goal: successful action to establish new pattern for significant period of time
5. Maintenance —> sustaining change over time
   - behavioural process, self-efficacy
   - task: sustaining change across wide range of different situations, avoiding relapse
   - goal: long-term sustained change, established new pattern

Question 3

Health behavioural models

Answer 3

1. Cognition models
   - focus only on individual instead of interaction between environment and individual
2. Social cognition models
   - fail to take into account Habitual behaviour
   - Intention does not necessarily predict actual behaviour