Midterm 1

Question 1

What is health psychology?

Answer 1

The application of psychological principles to the diagnosis and treatment of illness as well as to people’s attempt to maintain health and well-being

Question 2

How has the field of health psychology evolved?

Answer 2

• the main cause of death went from infectious disease to lifestyle diseases
• went from a micro to macro perspective, we have a better understanding on why it has grown
• we need to look at problems holistically

Question 3

Why has health psychology grown so quickly?

Question 4

Explain the bidirectional relationship between psychological health and physical health

Answer 4

The body and mind are interconnected

Some kind of emotional reaction can also accompany physical injury

ex: ankle sprain during the gymnastics season

ex: Sad about a break up - experience physiological symptoms (stomach ache/headache)

Question 5

What is behavioural medicine?

Answer 5

A branch of medicine concerned with the relationship between health and behavior

Question 6

What are the early stages of health psychology development?

Answer 6

1. Behaviourism (N.Miller)
2. Cognition and personality (Krantz)
3. Coping Styles (Miller)
4. Psychoimmunology (Cohen and Hebert)

Question 7

What is behaviourism and how did it help develop health psychology?

Answer 7

Miller developed biomedical perspective on illness to the germ theory - did not look at any other issues (psychology, social)

Biomedical perspective took off - our health if affected by what we do not what we think

Question 8

What is the gradient of reinforcement?

Answer 8

The gradual weakening of a behaviour the further it gets in time from the reinforcement of that behaviour

ex: when we exercise we do not suddenly get fit - benefit takes time

Question 8

What is delayed gratification?

Answer 8

A term used by behaviourists to describe a situation where there is a time lag between a behaviour and its reinforcement

complience rates are higher for regimens that cause a rapid reduction in symptoms

can be used to explain why more people will follow instructions while taking an anti-biotic for ear infection than exercise for hypertension

Question 8

What is psychoneuroimmunology?

Answer 8

the relationship between psychological state and immune system

Question 8

What is a monitor?

Answer 8

A coping style for information seekers

Question 9

what is a blunter?

Answer 9

A coping style for information avoiders

Question 10

What is the biopsychosocial approach?

Answer 10

a model that suggests biological, psychological and social factors are all involved in any given state or illness

Question 10

Why is the biopsychosocial approach important?

Answer 10

Some life-threatening conditions are preventable and can be influenced by lifestyle changes

Demands communication among health care workers and social scientists

Question 11

Explain the health belief model

Answer 11

Assumes that health beliefs best explain health behaviours

Question 11

What are the two types of beliefs that make you think that a course of action will reduce a threat

Answer 11

Response efficacy belief and cost-gain belief

Question 12

What is the response efficacy belief?

Answer 12

The perception that a threat-reducing strategy will work

ex: if you believe the flu shot will protect you, you will get the flu shot

Question 13

What is the cost-gain belief?

Answer 13

Assessment of cost associated with course of action and its benefit to personal health

ex: will driving to the pharmacy + spending money on the flu shot be worse than the actual flu

Need to believe a health threat exists

Question 14

What is the theory of reasoned action?

Answer 14

Assumes that behaviour is the result of intention, which is affected by one’s beliefs and motivation

Question 15

What are the two main sources of intention according to the theory of reasoned action?

Answer 15

1. Attitudes towards the behavior (as we get older, we become more concerned with cancer screening)
2. Subjective norms (we make decisions based on the values/opinions of the people around us)

Question 16

What is the Theory of Planned behavior?

Answer 16

Assumes health behaviour is the result of intention

Question 17

What are the three main sources of intention according to the theory of planned behavior?

Answer 17

1. Attitudes towards the behaviour
2. Subjective norms
3. Percieved behavioural control (specific behaviors are in one’s control)

Question 18

What are the two behavioural enaction models?

Answer 18

Gollwitzer’s implementation intention model and Bagozzi’s goal theory

Question 19

Explain Gollwitzer’s Implementation Intention Model

Answer 19

People who have an implementation plan are more likely to engage in the behaviour