Lecture 6 - Healthy Behaviours pt.2 thurs september 19

Question 1

are intentions to change behaviour enough

Answer 1

Often, intentions to change behaviour are not enough!

Question 2

what do implementation intentions do

Answer 2

¤IIs focus on gap between intention and behaviour
¤IIs – concrete action plans:
¤ How, where, and when, in if-then format
¤ Address barriers through further if-then statements
̈ The more specific IIs are, the more effective they are likely to be
̈ Can be used to break old bad habits and create new habits

Question 3

what is the format for implementation intentions

Answer 3

when…then
instead of: When I go to Subways, then I have chips and a coke with my sandwich
change to: When I go to Subways, then I have apples and water with my sandwich

Question 4

what is the Empirical evidence for implementation intentions

Answer 4

¤ Moderate-to-large effect sizes (Gollwitzer & Sheeran, 2006)
¤ Shown for many domains
¤ if-then format better than how, where, when
¤ The more specific, the more effective (Dombrovski etc.)

Question 5

what makes implementation intentions stronger

Answer 5

Mental Imagery

Question 6

give a summary of implementation intentions

Answer 6

̈ IIs are very effective in changing behaviour and creating better habits
̈ Mental imagery can further enhance the effectiveness of IIs
̈ Both can be integrated into all kinds of interventions

Question 7

What Theories and Models are Used for Understanding Health Behaviour Change?

1. Attitudinal Approaches
2. Social Cognition Models
3. Stage-Based Theories and Models
4. Cognitive-Behavioural Approaches

Answer 7

3. Stage-Based Theories and Models

Question 8

what is the assumption for the Transtheoretical Model

Answer 8

People will change their behaviour when they are ready to change it

Question 9

Transtheoretical Model commonly known as what

Answer 9

Stages of Change Model

Question 10

what does the Transtheoretical Model analyze

Answer 10

the stages/processes people go through
to bring about a behaviour change
̈ Suggested treatment goals and interventions for each stage

Question 11

what are the 5 parts to the Transtheoretical Model

Answer 11

1. Precontemplation: “I like smoking and don’t intend to quit”
2. Contemplation: “My teeth are turning yellow, and I am seriously thinking about quitting”
3. Preparation: “I am planning to quit smoking in the next 30 days. I am going to start by cutting back to a pack a week”
4. Action: “I have stopped smoking entirely”
5. Maintenance: “I haven’t smoked this entire semester”

Question 12

Stages of Change: Tailored Interventions

explain the parts to this

Answer 12

Precontemplation
Contemplation
Preparation
Action & Maintenance

Question 13

what is Precontemplation:

Answer 13

provide information, mot interviewing

Question 14

what is Contemplation:

Answer 14

discuss pros and cons of changing
behaviour and methods for change
¤ Motivational interviewing = most effective intervention at this stage and at precontemplation stage for:
n Adolescents who go to bed late, smokers, problem drinkers, etc.

Question 15

what is Preparation:

Answer 15

make explicit commitments to change, use

IIs

Question 16

what is Action & Maintenance:

Answer 16

self-reinforcement, coping skills, social support, use IIs for barriers
¤ Behavioural strategies work best during these stages

Question 17

Advantages of TTM (trans. model)

Answer 17

̈ Not static like other models; hypothesizes the “how” and “when” of behaviour change
¤ Views change as process rather than event
̈ Recognizes that people at different stages need different interventions

Question 18

what is the Effectiveness of TTM

Answer 18

Shown to work
n When implemented well
n When participants’ stage reliably identified
n When intervention intense
n Better for contemplators and above than pre-contemplators
n Better evidence of effectiveness for smoking and exercising than weight loss

Question 19

what are the Criticisms of TTM

Answer 19

̈ Stages or continuum? (arbitrary dividing lines)
̈ How many stages? (arbitrary number)
̈ Changes in stages may happen quicker than the model assumes
̈ People may skip one or many stages; some stages may be irrelevant for some domains

Question 20

what are Other Systematic Approaches to Behaviour Change

Answer 20

• Social Engineering Approaches - Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Question 21

what is Social Engineering

Answer 21

Modifying the environment in ways that affect people’s ability to practice a particular behaviour

Question 22

give examples of social engineering

Answer 22

¤ Legislating smoke-free indoor work environments
¤ Changing legal speed limit on roads and highways
¤ Legislation to eliminate trans fats from foods
¤ Requiring immunizations for children before they start school
¤ Design/architecture

Question 23

what ar the Cognitive Behavioural Approache

Answer 23

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Self-Observation & Monitoring
Classical Conditioning
Operant Conditioning
Stimulus Control
Cognitive Restructuring

Question 24

what is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Answer 24

¤ Change the health behaviour itself, conditions that maintain
it, and factors that reinforce it (Freeman et al., 1989) ¤ Beliefs about health habits
¤ Focuses on here and now

Question 25

give some cognitive behavioural strategies examples

Answer 25

̈ Self-observation & monitoring ̈ Classical conditioning
̈ Operant conditioning
̈ Stimulus control
̈ Self-control

Question 26

what is Self-Observation & Monitoring

Answer 26

¤ Understanding factors affecting target behaviour before
change can be initiated
¤ Frequency, antecedents, consequences
¤ Record information on the target behaviour, urges, feelings

Question 27

what is Classical Conditioning

Answer 27

Pairing of an unconditioned reflex with a new stimulus, producing a conditioned reflex

Question 28

what is Operant Conditioning

Answer 28

Shaping behaviours through rewards
¤ Using rewards for weight loss in the treatment of obesity
̈ Pairs voluntary behaviour with systematic consequences
̈ Behaviours that are most resistant to extinction are subject to a variable schedule of reinforcement

Question 29

what is Stimulus Control

Answer 29

̈ Involves ridding one’s environment of stimuli that provoke a problem behaviour
¤ Junk food that could contribute to overeating AND
̈ Creating new stimuli signaling that a new response will be reinforced
¤ Placing fresh fruit on the kitchen table

Question 30

what is Cognitive Restructuring

Answer 30

¤ Involves recognizing negative, self-defeating patterns of cognitions about one’s abilities, which could trigger problem behaviours
n I.e.: “I have no will power” could lead to binge eating
¤ And involves replacing them with more adaptive, encouraging and helpful thoughts

Question 31

Summary of the Two Systematic Approaches to Behaviour Change (social engineering)

Answer 31

• Changes the individual within the collective
• Uses the power of social context
• Deep roots in social psychology and public health
• Maybe best for education and preventing the development of bad health habits

Question 32

Summary of the Two Systematic Approaches to Behaviour Change (cognitive behavioural therapy)

Answer 32

• Changes the individual
• Attempts to help modify an individual lifestyle
• Roots in clinical psychology
• Maybe best for treating addictions and providing social support for habit change

Question 33

give a summary for this lecture

Answer 33

̈ Many tools available to change behaviour and create adaptive habits
̈ Target can be the individual or society-at-large
̈ Both approaches, and everything in between, are effective for behaviour change